US08982191B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting and mapping three-dimensional information pertaining to one or more target objects. More particularly, the invention consists of selecting one or more target objects, illuminating the one or more target objects using a first light source and capturing an image of the one or more target objects, then, illuminating the same one or more target objects using a second light source and capturing an image of the one or more target objects and lastly calculating the distance at the midpoint between the two light sources and the one or more target objects based on the decay of intensities of light over distance by analyzing the ratio of the image intensities on a pixel by pixel basis.
US08982188B2
A running-environment recognition apparatus includes an information recognition section mounted in a vehicle and configured to recognize an information of at least a frontward region of the vehicle relative to a traveling direction of the vehicle; and a road-surface calculating section configured to calculate a road surface of a traveling road and a portion lower than the road surface in the frontward region of the vehicle, from the information recognized by the information recognition section.
US08982187B2
In some embodiments, a method of rendering a stereoscopic image based on a two-dimensional image frame and a depth map comprises generating a saliency map of the two-dimensional image frame, determining a region where is located an object of focus from the saliency map, modifying the depth map such that a range of depth values in the depth map that is associated the object of focus is redistributed toward a depth level of a display screen, and generating a virtual stereoscopic image frame based on the modified depth map and the two-dimensional image frame. In other embodiments, systems of rendering stereoscopic images are also described.
US08982181B2
The invention provides a complete system for three-dimensional (3D) (stereo) still photography in a digital format. This includes capturing the image or photo, viewing, printing and projecting it. Intermediate steps would include downloading images to a computer, editing, enhancing or modifying, saving, recording photo images to other storage medium, and the printing of still photos. This invention is a significant advancement of the traditional analog film stereo slides, in that the digital format will allow viewing of the image in the camera in 3D, prior to, during, immediately after exposure and at any other time after exposure. With significant computer processing capability after exposure in editing, enhancing, color correcting, adding text and art, the images are further improved. The system includes the ability to view images, in 3D (stereo), in the camera, in a hand held viewer, on a computer screen on a standard television set as well as printed pairs or in anaglyph formats. The images can also be viewed with conventional digital projectors using conventional polarized glasses. The camera is also a significant advancement over the standard digital still cameras because it provides the three-dimensional image capture in a digital format. It also retains the full 2-dimensional capability of digital photography.
US08982164B2
In a method of compensating gamma reference voltages includes setting a plurality of emission signal on-duty ratios that have different values in a range from 0% to 100%, setting a plurality of data offsets for the emission signal on-duty ratios and each of the data offsets being set based on a color shift, the color shift being caused according to the emission signal on-duty ratios, generating a plurality of compensation gamma reference voltages by multiplying a gamma reference voltage by the data offsets, and applying the compensation gamma reference voltages to an organic light emitting display panel in dimming ranges that include the emission signal on-duty ratios, respectively.
US08982163B2
Techniques pertaining to dynamically regulating brightness of backlighting in display devices are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, the brightness dynamic range of a display device is adjusted according to the current ambient viewing conditions. In order words, the original brightness dynamic range of the display image is mapped to the brightness dynamic range suitable for human eyes under the current ambient viewing conditions. The brightness of the display image is corrected according to a histogram to enhance the contrast and details of the display image, thereby a high quality displayed image can be presented under the current ambient viewing conditions.
US08982162B2
A display device displays a gray scale by applying a voltage to a display element for each of a plurality of subfields. The display device includes a predetermined code storage unit that stores a predetermined code, in which indication values designating the voltage are arranged, a compression code storage unit that stores a compression code, which includes a first portion designating a number of the indication values and a second portion designating an identifier of the predetermined code, and a developing unit that generates a driving code according to a continuous code, in which indication values designating a first voltage are arranged by the number of the indication values designated by the first portion of the compression code, and a predetermined code corresponding to the identifier designated by the second portion of the compression code.
US08982159B1
A system which employs a method of creating transferable map schemas, storing the map schemas to storage devices, receiving target device settings, re-sampling the map schemas to fit the target devices using the target device settings, delivering the re-sampled map schemas to the target devices is described. Thereby providing the innovation that map schemas may be accessed by more than one type of device, the method by which maps are scaled from a created map dimension with given details to either a larger map having the ability to be utilized on a more capable playing device or to a map or a smaller map having the ability to be utilized on a less capable device without losing the important game-specific required data is also described.
US08982157B2
To generate a skin-attached element on a skin surface of an animated character, a region of the skin surface within a predetermined distance from a skin-attached element root position is deformed to form a lofted skin according to one of a plurality of constraint surfaces, where each of the plurality of constraint surfaces does not intersect with each other. A sublamina mesh surface constrained to the lofted skin is created. A two-dimensional version of the skin-attached element is projected onto the sublamina mesh surface. The lofted skin is reverted back to a state of the skin surface prior to the deformation of the region of the skin surface.
US08982155B2
An Augmented Reality (AR) providing apparatus sends to a server apparatus a request, including image information from an imaging device, for obtaining product information indicating a product that can be displayed on a shelf. and the AR apparatus displays product information included in a reply from the server apparatus in response to the request in an overlaying image manner. The server apparatus determines a shelf from the image information included in the request, determines a size of an empty shelf space, and selects product information of products smaller than the determined size of the empty shelf space. The product information is selected from a storage device storing multiple sets of product information indicating a product and its associated size information. The server apparatus sends a reply including the selected product information to the AR providing apparatus.
US08982152B2
A method is disclosed for assessing an aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the operation. The operation includes locating and/or identifying, using a physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of an underground facility within a dig area. A portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. The method includes digitally representing, on a display device, the facility and/or the physical locate mark to generate an electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes determining a length associated with a portion of the digitally represented facility and/or physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes, based on the determined length, automatically assessing the aspect relating to the operation.
US08982151B2
Independently processing planes of display data is provided by a method of outputting a video stream. The method includes retrieving from memory a first plane of display data having a first set of display parameters and post-processing the first plane of display data to adjust the first set of display parameters. The method further includes retrieving from memory a second plane of display data having a second set of display parameters and post-processing the second plane of display data independently of the first plane of display data. The method further includes blending the first plane of display data with the second plane of display data to form blended display data and outputting the blended display data.
US08982146B2
Method and apparatus for preparing and displaying images uses image characteristics of an area of interest of images to optimize or otherwise determine image characteristics of the entire image to be displayed. The area of interest information may be used in computing a System Synchronized Backlight Control (“SSBC”) profile for the area of interest, and the SSBC profile may be used to adjust the image signal to provide an image in which the image characteristics, e.g., are optimized for the image at the area of interest. The image characteristics and/or SSBC profile information may be provided as metadata included in a video signal data stream. The area of interest may be selected where the image is obtained, where the image is shown or elsewhere, e.g., in an image storage device, image player, etc.
US08982144B2
A multi-primary color display device includes a unit pixel part, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of pads and a plurality of connection lines. The unit pixel part is disposed on a display area and includes at least four subpixels. The data lines extend in a first direction on display area, and are electrically connected to the subpixels. The pads are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on a peripheral area surrounding the display area, and are electrically connected to a driving chip. The connection lines connect the data lines to the pads disposed on the peripheral area. Each of the connection lines has a same line resistance.
US08982137B2
Disclosed are “graphics overrides.” An override accepts a stream of graphics commands as produced by an application and then modifies the stream before it is rendered by the GPU. Different overrides perform different modifications. One override can modify a stream of graphics commands in response to another stream. Overrides can enforce conformity with a visual paradigm and, by being modified, can support a change to that paradigm without requiring the applications to change. Overrides can monitor the entire computing environment and improve the response to that environment of a particular application: For example, an override monitors frames as they are produced by an application. If the application cannot keep up with a fixed frame rate, then the override produces “synthetic” frames to take the place of missing frames. Overrides are not restricted to fixing existing problems. Rather, applications can be developed that depend upon the presence of overrides.
US08982126B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for shading computer graphics (CG) representations of materials. One of the methods includes obtaining data describing a physical material; receiving a shading request to shade a particular point in a CG representation of the physical material from a rendering engine, wherein the request identifies a mapping position of the particular point, a view direction at the mapping position, and a light direction at the mapping position; calculating a direct lighting color at the mapping position using a plurality of palettized images; calculating an indirect lighting color at the mapping position using the data describing the physical material; generating a final color at the mapping position by combining the direct lighting color and the indirect lighting color; and providing the final color to the rendering engine for use in rendering the CG representation of the physical material.
US08982123B2
What is disclosed is a system and method for reducing the number of vertices obtained when building an image gamut from a large number of image pixels. In one embodiment, a color image comprising a plurality of image pixels is received and the color data points measured. An n-dimensional Delaunay triangulation is defined wherein vertices of the triangulation comprise clusters of the measured data points. Cluster analysis is performed on the color data points to determine which existing cluster will receive a new point or if a new cluster should be created. The point clusters are added to the triangulation. For point clusters within the triangulation, a representative point is defined which serves as a normal vertex for the point cluster. The vertex is then added into the triangulation and a gamut generated. The gamut can be used to model a gamut of the color image or a color device.
US08982119B2
In a method for establishing a safety plane in coordinate measurements, the method meshes a 3D model of a workpiece and a probe by triangles, and calculates a maximum bounding box of the probe. The method further obtains a moving path of the maximum bounding box after moving the maximum bounding box from a first measuring point to a second, and obtains a maximum space box of the moving path. If the maximum space box has one or more intersections with the workpiece, the method calculates a distance between vertices of each of the triangles falling within the maximum space box and a bottom face of the maximum space box, and obtains a point in the bottom face of the maximum space box that has a maximum distance from the triangles. By correcting a plane containing the point, the safety plane is obtained.
US08982113B2
The present invention discloses an LCD panel, which includes a gate driver, a source driver, a plurality of gate lines and data lines. The gate lines and the data lines define a plurality of pixel units, and each pixel unit includes a TFT, a common electrode, and a pixel electrode. The data line is utilized to charge the pixel electrode. The LCD panel further includes a common electrode line, the common electrode line coupled to the common electrode. The common electrode line is utilized to provide alternating common electrode voltages to the common electrode, so that a voltage of the pixel electrode still approaches a target voltage by which the data line charges the pixel electrode when a gate voltage of the TFT is turned off. The present invention also provides a method for controlling voltages of the LCD panel.
US08982111B2
A light-emitting element includes an emitting unit and a driving circuit configured to drive the emitting unit. The driving circuit includes a driving transistor, an image signal writing transistor, and a capacitor unit. The driving circuit is connected to a current supply line and a scanning line both extending in a first direction and connected to a data line extending in a second direction. The current supply line and the scanning line are formed on the first interlayer insulating layer and the first interlayer insulating layer, the current supply line, and the scanning line are covered with a second interlayer insulating layer. The data line is formed on the second interlayer insulating layer. A shield wall extending in the first direction is provided to the second interlayer insulating layer between one light-emitting element and a light-emitting element adjacent to the one light-emitting element in the second direction.
US08982103B2
A method for determining the position of a contact on a panel envisages, during a detection operation, detecting vibration signals at a plurality of detection areas fixed with respect to the panel as a function of vibrations generated by the contact; determining detection values of temporal differences between times of detection of the vibrations at pairs of said detection areas; and determining the position of the contact as a function of said temporal differences. A characterization operation, preceding that of detection, envisages defining contact areas (key1-keyn) on the panel and associating to these contact areas respective ranges of admissible values for the temporal differences. In order to determine the position of the contact in a given contact area, the membership of the detection values of the temporal differences to the respective ranges of admissible values of the given contact area is verified. The method moreover envisages implementation of an algorithm for reconstruction and filtering of crossing signals, originated by the comparison of the vibration signals with one or more threshold values.
US08982098B2
A mobile device with a touch panel and a touch-lock operating method thereof are provided. The mobile device preferably includes an RF communication unit for supporting communication services; a touch panel for sensing input touches; a display unit for displaying a screen, where the screen includes at least one of a preset image, text, and map; and a controller for setting a touch-lock in the touch panel according to a preset condition. The controller also controls the display unit to display at least one of a text and image or at least one particular icon corresponding to the information reception event that occurs, based on the RF communication unit, in the touch-lock state. A portion of the display screen can be locked, or only certain predetermined touch functions permitted.
US08982090B2
Active stylus operation when there is no physical connection between the stylus and the touch array requires communication and synchronization. It is possible to use the touchscreen stack-up itself to communicate synchronization signals or other information optically by outfitting the active stylus with an optical receiver and transmitting signals either with additional diodes or by modulating the display clock itself.
US08982078B2
A touch screen panel includes a transparent substrate, a first sensing electrodes, a second sensing electrodes, a plurality of first connectors, each of which connects two neighboring first sensing electrodes, and a plurality of second connectors, each of which connects two neighboring second sensing electrodes. The touch screen panel further includes a electrostatic induction member formed over a touch inactive region, the electrostatic induction member being electrically coupled to one of the first sensing electrodes and extending toward one of the second sensing electrodes adjacent to the one of the first sensing electrodes, at least a portion of the electrostatic induction member overlapping the adjacent second sensing electrode when viewing in the thickness direction. A first insulation layer is interposed between the first connectors and the second connectors and between the electrostatic induction member and the adjacent sensing electrode.
US08982075B2
There are provided an electronic apparatus and an operating method thereof. The electronic apparatus includes: at least one mechanical button unit receiving a mechanical button input from a user; a touch screen receiving a touch input from the user; and a control unit detecting a first input signal generated from the at least one mechanical button unit to generate a first control signal and detecting a second input signal generated from the touch screen to generate a second control signal, wherein the control unit generates a third control signal different from the first control signal when the first input signal and the second input signal are simultaneously detected.
US08982064B2
A liquid crystal display device is disclosed, which comprises gate and data lines arranged to cross each other on a substrate to define a pixel region; a pixel electrode formed in the pixel region; a common electrode forming an electric field together with the pixel electrode and sensing a touch of a user; and a sensing line electrically connected with the common electrode, wherein the common electrode includes a plurality of first common electrodes for sensing any one of a touch position of X axis and a touch position of Y axis and a plurality of second common electrodes for sensing the other one of the touch positions of X axis and Y axis, and the sensing line is not electrically connected with the plurality of second common electrodes but electrically connected with the plurality of first common electrodes.
US08982057B2
In an information management system for handling digital position data recorded by an electronic pen, the pen is controlled to convert recordings of a first code on a product to position data in a coordinate system, to convert recordings of a second code to input data, and to process the position data on the basis of the input data. The input data may define one or more functional areas in the coordinate system, and the pen may map the position data against the input data and take appropriate action if the position data is deemed to fall within a functional area. This allows the pen to be dynamically provided with a description of all or parts of the functional layout of a product, thereby reducing the need of the pen to pre-store such descriptions for all products. Encryption or usage may also be controlled based on data encoded by the second code. The product may be generated, via a computer-implemented method, to include the first code, the second code and any supporting graphics. The input data may alternatively be derived from another import interface of the pen, such as a communications interface or a replaceable memory unit.
US08982049B2
The invention discloses an interactive simulated-globe display system including an imaging body, N image-projecting units, a data processing unit, an optical pointer, and M image-capturing units where N and M are respectively a natural number. The N image-projecting units project N images onto an external hemispheric surface of the imaging body. The N images constitute a hemi-globe image of a whole globe image. The data processing unit detects an indicated spot projected on the external hemispheric surface by the M image-capturing units, judges if a track relative to the indicated spot meets one of a plurality of position input rules, and if YES, executes an instruction corresponding to said one position input rule.
US08982039B2
Provided is a display device. The display device includes a display module on which a lighting source for supplying light is disposed on a back surface thereof, an optical sensor detecting luminance of the light supplied from the lighting source, and a light transmission member disposed between the lighting source and the optical sensor, the light transmission member providing a transmission path of the light generated in the lighting source to transmit the light into the optical sensor.
US08982031B2
A display panel includes a plurality of first driving switches installed at a first side of the display panel, a plurality of second switches installed at a second side of the display panel, a plurality of first data lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of scan lines, and a plurality of pixels. Each of the first driving switches includes a first input end and a plurality of first output ends. Each of the second driving switches includes a second input end and a plurality of second output ends. The first data lines are electrically connected to the first output ends. The second data lines are electrically connected to the second output ends. The plurality of pixels are electrically connected to the plurality of first data lines, second data lines and scan lines for displaying images. The first data lines and the second data lines are arranged interlacedly.
US08982030B2
A gate output control method is adapted into a flat display having a plurality of gate drive integrated circuits. The method comprises: providing a gate control signal; providing a oblique control signal to oblique modulate the gate control signal for generating a gate control signal with oblique; modulating the gate control signal with oblique to obtain a modulated gate control signal; and outputting the modulated gate control signal to the gate drive integrated circuits. A falling edge of the modulated gate control signal comprises a oblique-varying period and a vertical-varying period. In the oblique-varying period, the modulated gate control signal firstly changes to a predetermined voltage in a first slope, and then changes in a second slope until the vertical-varying period. In the vertical-varying period, the modulated gate control signal changes vertically or nearly vertically.
US08982029B2
A pixel circuitry of a display device and a display method thereof are provided herein. The pixel circuitry includes a scan switch, a storage element, and a sampling circuitry. The scan switch has a first terminal coupled to a data line and configured to be asserted according to a scan signal. The storage element is coupled to a second terminal of the scan switch and configured to store a pixel voltage from the data line. The sampling circuitry is configured to sample the stored pixel voltage of the storage element and to obtain a reference voltage for the display device according to the sampled signal. By sampling the stored pixel voltage of the storage element, whether the pixel voltages with different polarities are symmetry can be detected for avoiding flickers.
US08982019B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device includes a plurality of OLED pixels. In one aspect, each pixel respectively includes a first capacitor connected between a data line and a first node, a switching transistor connecting the first node and a second node, a second capacitor connected between the second node and a third node, a driving transistor having a gate electrode connected to the third node and controlling a driving current flowing from a first power source voltage to an OLED, and a reference voltage transistor transmitting a reference voltage to the first node. When a light emitting step occurs in which the OLED emits light, it is simultaneously performed in a plurality of pixels by use of a driving current, the switching transistor is turned off and the reference voltage transistor is turned on such that the reference voltage is transmitted to the first node, and a data voltage corresponding to a scan signal of a gate-on voltage respectively corresponding to a plurality of pixels is stored to the first capacitor. Aspects also include pixel circuits and methods of driving the pixels in the display.
US08982018B2
An EL display panel includes light emitting pixels disposed in a matrix and a driving circuit for driving the pixels. The driving circuit drives the pixels such that a threshold value correction operation is carried out commonly (simultaneously) for a group of multiple pixels, which are connected to a same signal line, and such that an operation of writing a signal potential corresponding to a gradation value is executed individually (time-sequentially) for the pixels in the group. The driving circuit applies a reset potential to the pixels in the group before executing the signal writing operation. The reset potential is lower than a reference potential that is used for the threshold value correction operation.
US08982012B2
Disclosed is a management apparatus, which makes it possible to use an information viewing apparatus without considering the residual amount of the battery, provided therein. The apparatus includes: a plurality of slots to support a plurality of information viewing apparatuses, each of which is activated by an electric power fed from a battery provided therein and is to be inserted into each of the slots in a detachable manner; and a controlling section to control the plurality of information viewing apparatuses, respectively inserted into the slots. When a predetermined information viewing apparatus is inserted into one of the plurality of slots, the controlling section moves data stored in the predetermined information viewing apparatus to another information viewing apparatus, which is currently inserted into another one of the plurality of slots, depending on a residual amount of the battery provided in the predetermined information viewing apparatus.
US08982011B1
A method of and apparatus for mitigating adverse transmission and/or reception effects that an obstruction would otherwise have upon a RF signal to be transmitted or received, the RF signal being available at a feed point and wherein the obstruction is spaced from the feed point in a direction of desired transmission or reception. An artificial impedance surface is disposed adjacent the feed point and the obstruction, and the artificial impedance surface is designed (i) to have a spatially non-varying impedance function in a constant impedance region at least immediately adjacent the feed point and (ii) to have a non-constant impedance function in one or more regions spaced from the feed point and closer to the obstruction.
US08982008B2
A wireless communications device may include a housing, and wireless communications circuitry carried by the housing. The wireless communications device may also include an antenna assembly carried by the housing and coupled to the wireless communications circuitry. The antenna assembly may include a substrate and a plurality of passive loop antennas carried by the substrate and arranged in side-by-side relation. Each of the plurality of spaced apart passive loop antennas may include a passive loop conductor and a tuning element coupled thereto. The antenna assembly may also include an active loop antenna carried by the substrate and arranged to be at least partially coextensive with each of the plurality of passive loop antennas. The active loop antenna may include an active loop conductor and a pair of feedpoints defined therein.
US08982007B2
A transfer unit for transferring a radio frequency signal between a classical antenna tuner and an antenna where the transfer unit comprises a switch for alternatively selecting a first direct route for the radio frequency signal between the tuner and the antenna or a second route via a reactive element; said reactive element comprising a variable serial capacitance and a shunt inductance connected to system earth; and where a control unit controls the switch and is adapted to select the first route when the frequency is above a predetermined value and otherwise select the second route. The variable serial capacitance comprises a set of capacitors organized as a set of binary weighted parallel capacitance values, and the transfer unit further comprises switches to engage or disengage each capacitor from the reactive element to increase or decrease the resulting capacitance as the radio frequency is decreased or increased. The control unit can use a subset of the capacitors for one range of frequencies and a different subset of the capacitors for a different range of frequencies. The control unit can alternatively measure the radio frequency by means of a sensor or receive frequency values via a data link.
US08982003B2
The present invention aims to provide a slot antenna, an electronic apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a slot antenna which are capable of obtaining multiple resonances with a small mounting space. The slot antenna according to the present invention includes three conductor plates: a rectangular conductor plate 10 having a notch with an open end formed at one side of the conductor plate; a rectangular conductor plate 20 disposed to face the conductor plate 10; a third conductor plate connecting the conductor plates 10 and 20 on a side opposite to the open end of the conductor plate 10; and a feeder 40 connecting a core wire 41 and a ground 42 at two points across the notch of the conductor plate 10.
US08982000B2
A watch type mobile terminal includes a first case which includes a window; a second case coupled to the first case and having an area for mounting a plurality of components; and a third case coupled to the second case such that the plurality of components are positioned between the second case and the third case. The mobile terminal further includes an antenna positioned at a side portion of a case including the first case, the second case, and the third case. The antenna includes a first conductor which is attached to the plurality of components, substantially covered by the second case, and connected to a signal feeding portion; and a second conductor which is positioned to be separated from the first conductor such that the second conductor is electrically coupled with the first conductor and connected to a ground feeding unit to be connected to a ground.
US08981998B2
Provided is a built-in transmitting and receiving integrated radar antenna whose coverage of a horizontal radiation pattern is widened and whose space factor is improved by integrating high-frequency circuit component onto an antenna substrate while suppressing unnecessary waves. A first dielectric substrate (111) is formed into a three-layered structure in which a bias line (171) of an MIC is disposed between a second layer (111b) and a third layer (111c) and a second ground plane (114) is disposed between the first layer (111a) and the second layer (111b). Also, the second ground plane (114) is conductively connected with isolated through-holes (163, 164), so that a domain in which a feeding port (115) is disposed is isolated from a domain (B) in which the bias line (171) is disposed.
US08981991B2
Mixer unit for a radar sensor for motor vehicles, having an I mixer and a Q mixer which are connected in parallel branches between an oscillator port and an RF port with the aid of power splitters. A switch is situated between each of the power splitters and the Q mixer which allows the signal arriving from the power splitter to be selectively decoupled from the Q mixer and switched to a high-frequency ground. A transformation element is provided between the high-frequency ground and the particular node point of the power splitter which transforms the high-frequency ground into an open line at the node point.
US08981987B2
An imaging device includes a comparator that compares a noise signal with each of a first reference signal and a second reference signal having potentials with different changing quantities per unit time, and that compares a photoelectric conversion signal with each of the first reference signal and the second reference signal. Also, the imaging device AD-converts signals obtained by amplifying the noise signal by a first gain and a second gain having different gains, and AD-converts a signal obtained by amplifying the photoelectric conversion signal by one of a first gain and a second gain.
US08981979B2
An integrated circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit including at least one first channel type DAC and at least one second channel type DAC. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of sample and hold (S/H) circuits. Each of the S/H circuits is coupled with the DAC circuit. The S/H circuits are capable of receiving signals from the DAC circuit and outputting the signals in parallel.
US08981972B2
Embodiments of the present invention may provide an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) system. The ADC system may include an analog circuit to receive an input signal and a reference voltage, and to convert the input signal into a raw digital output. The analog circuit may include at least one sampling element to sample the input signal during a sampling phase and reused to connect to the reference voltage during a conversion phase, and an ADC output to output the raw digital output. The ADC system may also include a digital processor to receive the raw digital output and for each clock cycle, to digitally correct reference voltage errors in the analog-to-digital conversion.
US08981970B2
A binary allocation in a hierarchical coding/decoding comprising a coding/decoding of a digital signal enhancement layer. The signal comprises a succession of L samples, each sample being represented by a mantissa and an exponent. The method comprises the allocation of a predetermined number Nb of enhancement bits to a part at least of the L samples of highest exponent values. In particular, the method comprises the steps: a) enumerating the exponents of the L samples each having a given value, b) calculating at least one aggregate of enumerations of exponents by decreasing values of exponent until the predetermined number Nb is approximated from above, for c) determining a threshold value of largest exponent iexp0 of sample for which no more enhancement bit is available, and allocating the Nb enhancement bits, according to chosen rules, to the samples whose exponent is greater than the aforesaid threshold value iexpo.
US08981945B2
A method and system is disclosed for monitoring switchgear. The current supplied to the main bus is measured. The current flowing through a plurality of feeder circuits is also measured. The temperature of the main bus at one or more nodes is measured, wherein a node is a connection point between the main bus and each feeder circuit. The current flowing through one of the nodes is determined by subtracting the current flow through each the feeder circuit upstream from the node, from the current supplied by the input circuit. An alarm condition is determined if the temperature at a node exceeds a predetermined temperature value for a given current flow through the node. The alarm condition is thereafter displayed to a switchgear operator.
US08981942B2
The method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitates monitoring a vehicle operator, the environment ahead of the vehicle, and/or forces acting on the vehicle during the course of vehicle operation to determine whether the vehicle operator is impaired (e.g., distracted, drowsy, intoxicated), alerting the vehicle operator when impairment is detected, and log data relating to vehicle operator impairment for further analysis. The method, system, and computer-readable medium may monitor the vehicle operator, the environment ahead of the vehicle, and/or forces acting on the vehicle using either or both of optical sensors or accelerometers. In particular, one optical sensor may monitor the vehicle operator to detect eye blinks, head nods, head rotations, and/or gaze fixation. Another optical sensor may monitor the road ahead of the vehicle to detect lane deviation, lane centering, and time to collision. The accelerometers may detect acceleration in the direction of vehicle travel and/or lateral acceleration.
US08981939B2
A system for verifying compliance, comprises an input device including a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader module, wherein the RFID reader module is capable of determining that an RFID tag corresponding to a medication dose in a product packaging is not detectable, and recording a time of the determination that the RFID tag is not detectable, a network, and a data management service module which is capable of receiving from the input device via the network information corresponding to the RFID tag and the time when the RFID tag was determined not detectable.
US08981932B2
An apparatus includes a pair of an alarm condition generator and an associated alarm circuit and a test circuit. The alarm circuit is configured to generate an alarm signal in response to a detection of an associated alarm condition. The alarm condition generator is configured to generate the associated alarm condition for its associated alarm circuit in response to a reception of a first reset of a first type of reset. The test circuit is configured to receive the alarm signal and the first reset and to generate in response to a reception of both the first reset and the alarm signal a second reset of a second type of reset.
US08981930B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring appliances at a site, such as a household, business office, etc. The appliances can include, for example but not limited to, an electric oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, laundry washer, freezer, pool controller, light bulb, microwave oven, computer, television, telephone, etc. In many of the embodiments, the appliance has a computer based architecture or a controller that enables communication of data concerning the electronic appliance. In some embodiments the appliance is an apparatus with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or other passive device that can be interrogated for information concerning the appliance.
US08981928B2
A system for reporting a condition of a first entity to a second entity, the system includes a processor that executes instructions to determine the condition of the first entity based on an aggregation of structured and unstructured information and entity-activity information of the first entity, and a reporting unit that reports the condition of the first entity to the second entity.
US08981916B2
A system includes a vehicle-based processor configured to receive a wireless vehicle-locate request from a remote device. The processor is also configured to receive an instruction from the remote device relating to selection of an outputtable tone and output, through use of one or more external vehicle sound systems, a selected tone in accordance with the instruction.
US08981915B2
A system that produces a haptic effect and generates a drive signal that includes at least two haptic effect signals each having a priority level. The haptic effect is a combination of the haptic effect signals and priority levels. The haptic effect may optionally be a combination of the two haptic effect signals if the priority levels are the same, otherwise only the haptic effect signal with the highest priority is used. The frequency of haptic notifications may also be used to generate a drive signal using foreground and background haptic effect channels depending on whether the frequency ratio exceeds a foreground haptic effect threshold.
US08981912B2
A method of selecting a light source among a plurality of light sources by means of a remote controller includes the remote controller: instructing, by omnidirectional transmission, the light sources to each transmit a directional signal comprising a code, which is unique for each light source; —receiving the directional signals from the light sources; and selecting one of the light sources on basis of the received directional signals. Furthermore, the method includes: generating, remotely of the light sources, codes to be transmitted by the light sources; and—the remote controller instructing each one of the light sources which one of the remotely determined codes to transmit.
US08981911B2
A detection device designed to detect the intensity of a signal emitted by a source powered by pulse-width modulation at a first frequency. The device includes a reactivation circuit including circuitry for detecting a signal modulated at a second frequency, the second frequency being different from the first frequency and tripping circuitry or tripping a reactivation of the detection device when the signal is modulated at the second frequency.
US08981910B2
According to one embodiment, an RFID tag issuing apparatus includes a communication instructing unit, a search unit, and a misalignment amount detecting unit. The communication instructing unit instructs a reader-writer unit to communicate with the RFID tag at a reference position that is reached when the label is carried by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction after the specific position on the label is detected by a label position detecting unit. The search unit repeats a carrying of the label and a communication instruction to the reader-writer unit when communication cannot be established with the RFID tag, and thus searches for a communication-available range with the RFID tag. The misalignment amount detecting unit detects an amount of carrying of the label to reach the communication-available range from the reference position, as a misalignment amount of the RFID tag.
US08981907B1
A system to multiplex antennas for radio-frequency communication uses one or more antenna shorting circuits to selectively enable RF communication via one of a plurality of antenna matching networks. The system is cost-efficient compared to alternatives. The RF communication includes read and/or read/write communication with, e.g., radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags.
US08981906B2
A printed wiring board includes a circuit substrate on which sheets are laminated, a wireless IC element provided on the sheet, a radiator provided on the sheet, and a loop-shaped electrode defined by first planar conductors, via hole conductors, and one side of the radiator, coupled to the wireless IC element. The first planar conductors are coupled to the radiator and the second planar conductors by auxiliary electrodes.
US08981905B2
An asset tracking technology wrings from a scan, event, location, and personal data in combination, immense mounds of useful information about the assets by interacting this information with Points of Data via cloud processing and analytics. The system tracks each asset at each location starting at its initial location and thereafter at each succeeding location, including time taken and steps involved as reported by each player in the supply chain. Each asset and each critical embedded component has a tag or mark that uniquely identifies it. Each tag is registered in a cloud-hosted database. Each sending and each receiving location will input the tag information with a scanner. This data flowing from the tracking model is transmitted to the cloud-hosted database for processing using Big Data Analytics techniques and artificial intelligence expert systems tools to determine the probably of a deviation from a normative established by the expert system based on the collected data.
US08981904B2
A method, controller and system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure facilitate reduced energy consumption in a motion sensing device having an inertial measurement unit (IMU), with a strap down integration unit, and an application processing unit (AP). The system and method include rounding velocity increments and orientation increments at the inertial measurement unit, thereby producing a remainder values. The remainder values are added to subsequent velocity increments and orientation increments prior to rounding of those values, and so on. In this way, while motion granularity is slightly decreased, there is no drift of integration errors over time.
US08981898B2
A system for mounting to a vehicle including a user interface element and for controlling a transmitter device configured to send an expected transmission to receiving device is provided. The system includes a transceiver. The system further includes an interface for receiving a first signal from the user interface element. The system yet further includes a processor configured to establish a bi-directional data communication link between the transceiver and the transmitter device. The processor is further configured to cause the transceiver to send a second signal to the transmitter device via the bi-directional data communication link based upon the first signal received at the interface. The processor is yet further configured to format the second signal so that the transmitter device will send the expected transmission to the receiving device.
US08981891B2
A controllable electronic switch for, e.g., controlling power distribution comprises a deformable member such as a bimetal arm that can be deformed to break an electrical path. The deformable member may be anchored at one end and in controllable contact with an electrical conductor at the other end. A heating element, such as a coil, can be used to selectively heat the deformable member. The controllable electronic switch can alternatively comprise a deformable member that is terminated in a wedge-shaped member. When the deformable member bends in response to being heated, the wedge-shaped member forces apart a pair of contacts thus breaking an electrical path. The wedge-shaped member and/or associated structures may be configured as a cam mechanism with multiple latching positions.
US08981890B2
There are provided a non-magnetic composition for a ceramic electronic component, a ceramic electronic component manufactured by using the same, and a manufacturing method thereof. The non-magnetic composition for a ceramic electronic component includes a compound represented by ZnCuTiO4 such that the inductance decreasing rate at the high current and the capacitance rate of change of the magnetic body after the application of current according to the temperature change are insensitive, whereby the stable operational characteristics of the ceramic electronic component may be secured.
US08981888B2
A magnetic body which can reversibly change its magnetic force with a small external magnetic field while having a high residual magnetic flux density is provided. The magnetic body of the present invention has a residual magnetic flux density Br of at least 11 kG and a coercive force HcJ of 5 kOe or less, while an external magnetic field required for the residual magnetic flux density Br to become 0 is 1.10 HcJ or less.
US08981886B2
A solenoid switching method includes energizing a first coil winding to cause a plunger to move in a first direction, and energizing a second coil winding to cause the plunger to move in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the plunger has a first standoff connected to a first end, and a second standoff connected to a second end. The first standoff extends through the first coil winding and the second standoff extends through the second coil winding. The bi-directional solenoid device is configured to physically move a slidable switch between a first position and a second position. Additionally, the plunger stays in position without either of the first coil winding or the second coil winding being energized if the plunger is latched.
US08981882B2
Switch including a terminal of a first type and at least two terminals of a second type, and a number of circuits capable of ensuring exclusive connection of one of the terminals of the second type to the terminal of the first type as a function of a set of control orders wherein the terminal of the first type is connected to a common point by a first circuit; each terminal of the second type is connected to the common point by a second circuit, with each second circuit including a portion that is magnetically coupled to the first circuit, a static switch mounted in parallel with the portion and capable of being controlled in the “off” state in order to connect the terminal of the first type to the terminal of the second type associated with the second circuit in question.
US08981880B2
A waveguide band-pass filter is disclosed comprising: an input/output gate for a signal; a first inductive discontinuity coupling device; a second inductive discontinuity coupling device and a first waveguide resonator segment coupled to said input/output gate and interposed between the first and the second coupling devices. At least one of the first and the second coupling devices includes at least a resonant coupling structure which extends in the waveguide with a reduced height relative to a height of the first resonator segment and it is shaped for inputting a zero in a transmission frequency response of the filter.
US08981875B2
Tunable MEMS resonators having adjustable resonance frequency and capable of handling large signals are described. In one exemplary design, a tunable MEMS resonator includes (i) a first part having a cavity and a post and (ii) a second part mated to the first part and including a movable layer located under the post. Each part may be covered with a metal layer on the surface facing the other part. The movable plate may be mechanically moved by a DC voltage to vary the resonance frequency of the MEMS resonator. The cavity may have a rectangular or circular shape and may be empty or filled with a dielectric material. The post may be positioned in the middle of the cavity. The movable plate may be attached to the second part (i) via an anchor and operated as a cantilever or (ii) via two anchors and operated as a bridge.
US08981866B2
Semiconductor device and method of forming RF balun having reduced capacitive coupling and high CMRR
A semiconductor device has an RF balun formed over a substrate. The RF balun includes a first conductive trace wound to exhibit inductive properties with a first end coupled to a first terminal of the semiconductor device and second end coupled to a second terminal of the semiconductor device. A first capacitor is coupled between the first and second ends of the first conductive trace. A second conductive trace is wound to exhibit inductive properties with a first end coupled to a third terminal of the semiconductor device and second end coupled to a fourth terminal of the semiconductor device. The first conductive trace is formed completely within the second conductive trace. The first conductive trace and second conductive trace can have an oval, circular, or polygonal shape separated by 50 micrometers. A second capacitor is coupled between the first and second ends of the second conductive trace.
US08981864B2
Multi-layer in integrated transmission line circuits are provided having improved signal loss characteristics. A multi-layer integrated transmission line circuit, such as a stripline circuit or a microstrip circuit, comprises at least one reference layer; at least one conducting layer having one or more conducting strips, wherein the at least one conducting layer is separated from the at least one reference layer by a substrate; and at least one additional layer positioned between the at least one conducting layer and the at least one reference layer. The multi-layer integrated transmission line circuit may also comprise a dielectric insulating material, such as an organic material or a ceramic material. The additional layers increase a dielectric thickness of the multi-layer integrated transmission line circuit to reduce dielectric losses.
US08981863B2
A modulation apparatus for a class D switching amplifier is capable of reducing power consumption of an Electro-Migration Interface (EMI) of an output end and a gate driver end in a zero input signal. The modulation apparatus for a class D switching amplifier includes a control unit for detecting and outputting a control signal which is a common signal component of a first modulation signal modulated by using a first input signal and a second modulation signal modulated by using a second input signal; and is characterized by feedback of a first output signal, a second output signal and a common output signal outputted by using the first modulation signal, the second modulation signal and the control signal through an input of the modulation apparatus.
US08981855B2
Aspects of the disclosure provide a phase-locked loop (PLL). The PLL includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a detector module, and a ramp module. The VCO has a first capacitor unit and a second capacitor unit. The VCO is configured to generate an oscillating signal having a frequency based on a first capacitance of the first capacitor unit and a second capacitance of the second capacitor unit. The detector module is configured to generate a voltage signal as a function of the oscillating signal and a reference signal. The voltage signal is used to control the first capacitor unit to stabilize the frequency of the oscillating signal. The ramp module is configured to generate a ramp signal based on the voltage signal. The ramp signal is used to control the second capacitor unit to ramp the second capacitance from a first value to a second value.
US08981843B2
This document discusses, among other things, a control circuit, such as a translator circuit, configured to reduce voltage stress of first and second transistors when a first voltage received by the first transistor exceeds a voltage rating of at least one of the first or second transistors.
US08981841B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor chips respectively selected in response to a plurality of chip selection signals, and a chip selection signal generator configured to generate the chip selection signals in response to one first control signal for deciding whether to drive the semiconductor chips and at least one second control signal for selecting at least one semiconductor chip from among the semiconductor chips.
US08981836B2
Some embodiments relate to charge pump regulators to selectively activate a charge pump based not only on the voltage output of the charge pump, but also on a series of wake-up pulses that are delivered at predetermined time intervals and which are delivered independently of the voltage output of the charge pump. Hence, these wake-up pulses prevent extended periods of time in which the charge pump is inactive, thereby helping to prevent latch-up in some situations.
US08981833B2
Low-power circuits for providing stable voltage and current references rely on currents flowing through ultra-thin dielectric layer components for operation. A current reference circuit includes driving circuitry operative to apply a voltage to the first terminal of the component with respect to the second terminal of the component in order to cause a current to flow through the dielectric layer, and sources a reference output current that is based on the current flow through the dielectric layer in response to the applied voltage. A voltage reference circuit includes a current source which applies a current to the ultra-thin dielectric layer component, and maintains an output node at a stable reference output voltage level based on the voltage across the ultra-thin dielectric layer component in response to the current flow through the dielectric layer.
US08981831B1
A method and circuit for implementing a level shifter with built-in-logic function for reduced delay. The circuit including at least one set of inputs from a first power supply domain. The circuit further including at least two cross coupled field effect transistors (FETs) connected to a second power supply domain. The circuit further including a true logic gate connected to the first power supply domain and the at least two cross coupled FETs. The true logic gate being configured to generate a logic function based on the at least one set of inputs. The circuit further including a complementary logic gate connected to the first power supply domain and the at least two cross coupled FETs. The complementary logic gate being configured to generate a complement of the logic function based on the at least one set of inputs.
US08981828B2
A multi-phase generator includes an oscillator unit including a plurality of first buffer units forming a single closed loop and a delay unit including a plurality of second buffer units respectively connected to a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is connected between two adjacent buffer units of the first buffer units. A phase of an output signal of a second buffer unit, among the second buffer units, lags behind a phase of an output signal of a first buffer unit, among the first buffer units.
US08981827B2
An apparatus for controlling retention of data includes a logic circuit, a retention control cell circuit, and an I/O cell circuit. The logic circuit generates at least one retention enable signal before a chip enters a reduced power mode. The retention control cell circuit latches the retention enable signal and outputs a retention enable control signal based on a first power signal of the logic circuit and a detection result of a second power signal for input/output (I/O). And, the I/O cell circuit latches data based on the retention control signal.
US08981808B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory chips arranged in a layered manner, each including a substrate and a memory cell array, and a plurality of current paths provided while penetrating through the memory chips. Each of the memory chips includes a test circuit that reads test data from a corresponding one of the memory cell array and outputs a layer test result signal responding to the test data to a different current path for each of the memory chips.
US08981799B2
A first resistor, a second resistor, a transistor, and a third resistor connected in series between a ground potential and an output terminal of a power circuit are provided. In addition, a current-detecting resistor is inserted in series between a high-voltage site and an output terminal of a power circuit that supplies a predetermined direct voltage to the high-voltage site. A differential amplifier controls a current flowing through the transistor so that a potential difference generated between both ends of the third resistor becomes proportional to a potential difference generated between both ends of the current-detecting resistor. At this point, by measuring the voltage of a connection node of the first resistor and the second resistor, the value of a current flowing through the high-voltage site can be calculated from the measured value.
US08981798B2
An electronic system comprises a resistive sensor structure and an electronic circuit portion whose design is selected such that different resistive sensor structures may be combined within the same electronic circuit. To this end, the resistive sensor structure is used as a voltage/current converter that provides input currents to a current amplifier, which in turn provides an amplified output voltage on the basis of a difference of the input currents. The operating range of the current amplifier is adjusted on the basis of a programmable current source irrespective of the configuration of the resistive sensor structure.
US08981797B2
An apparatus for determining a dielectric property of a capacitor arrangement, having an alternating signal generator for applying an electric alternating signal to the capacitor arrangement. It further contains an evaluation circuit for evaluating at least one electric measuring quantity of an electric signal tapped from the capacitor arrangement. It further comprises balancing means which are arranged in an electric path between the alternating signal generator and the capacitor arrangement and by means of which a parameter of the electric alternating signal can be changed in such a way that an output signal of the evaluation circuit assumes a specific value, preferably zero, under defined constant conditions. Control means are provided for emitting an electric control signal to the balancing means, by means of which the change of the at least one parameter can be controlled. The apparatus can thus be balanced in a simple, rapid, cost-effective and especially automatic way.
US08981796B2
A wireless damage detector for ceramic armor plates includes an interrogator and a body armor ceramic plate. The interrogator includes an inductive primary coil having a resonant frequency. The plate includes a corresponding inductive secondary coil adapted to cooperate with the primary coil when the interrogator is positioned in an interrogation position wirelessly adjacent the plate. When in the interrogation position, the primary and secondary coils are inductively coupled, that is, form an inductive coupling, when the primary coil is energized at the resonant frequency. The plate includes at least one self-contained frangible continuity circuit electrically connected to the secondary coil. The inductive coupling induces an electrical current flow in the continuity circuit when the circuit is undamaged. A detector cooperates with the primary and secondary coils when the interrogator is in the interrogation position. The detector detects the inductive coupling. An indicator cooperates with the detector.
US08981783B2
A cell monitoring device for monitoring cells connected in series in an electric storage module includes electric lines, switches connected in parallel to the cells, respectively, via the electric lines, and a controller. The controller configured to: close and reopen at least two of the switches; measure voltages between the lines connected to the cells after the switches connected in parallel to the cells are reopened; determine the measured voltages as cell voltages of the cells; determine whether at least one of a high abnormality voltage equal to or higher than a first threshold and a low abnormality voltage equal to or lower than a second threshold lower than the first threshold exists among the cell voltages; and determine at least one of the electric lines has lost continuity if at least one of the high abnormality voltage and the low abnormality voltage exists among the cell voltages.
US08981781B2
A device for detecting an object in a subsurface, including a transmitting unit having a transmitting element designed to emit a transmission signal into the subsurface, a receiving unit having two or more receiving elements designed to receive a reception signal which is a function of the transmission signal and the properties of the object and of the subsurface, a control and evaluation unit which is designed to control the transmitting unit and receiving unit and to evaluate the reception signals, and a display unit which is designed to display the reception signals evaluated by the control and evaluation unit. The transmitting unit has at least one further transmitting element which is designed to emit at least one further transmission signal into the subsurface, and the transmitting elements of the transmitting unit are controllable independently of one another by the control and evaluation unit. A method is also provided.
US08981774B2
An automatic tune and match device (3) and method comprises a reflected power sensor (32) which detects power reflected from a load (18,18′) and an LC matching circuit, in series with the load, being programmable to minimize the reflected power. The LC matching circuit includes an inductor matrix (34) in series with the load (18, 18′) and a capacitor matrix (36) in parallel with the inductor matrix. A matrix controller (38) configures at least one of the inductor matrix or capacitor matrix based on the detected reflected power to minimize the reflected power.
US08981764B2
A rolling bearing sensor, especially a rotational speed sensor, having a housing and a signal pick-up which is arranged in the housing in a manner secured against rotation and is arranged, with the housing, in a stationary receptacle in a stationary part of a rolling bearing or in a stationary component adjoining a rolling bearing, for example, an axle journal, where the housing has an outer design via which the rolling bearing sensor in the receptacle is secured against rotation in a form-fitting manner. The sensor may have a groove which runs in the axial direction and interacts with a screw or a projection. Alternatively, a securing element which predefines a defined angular position may be pushed onto the sensor.
US08981762B2
An apparatus and method for improved current shunt sensing in an electrical system, such as a renewable energy electrical system, is disclosed. A current shunt according to aspects of the present disclosure includes a conductive portion that is placed in series with an electrical system The current shunt includes a sensing element that is used to measure the voltage across the conductive portion of the current shunt. The sensing element has an increased width relative to the width of the conductive portion of the shunt. The increased width of the sensing element provides for improved current shunt sensing that results in more accurate voltage (and thus current) measurements across a wide range of frequencies.
US08981761B2
A partial discharge detector for gas-insulated electric apparatus of an embodiment detects an electromagnetic wave ascribable to partial discharge in a gas-insulated electric apparatus which is filled with insulating gas, and in which a conductor to which high voltage is applied is supported in conductor supporting holes provided at centers of a plurality of disk-shaped insulating plates, and a plurality of flanged-conductive pipes form a hermetically sealed container, with flange portions thereof pressingly sandwiching and holding peripheral edge portions of the insulating plates from both surface sides. The partial discharge detector for gas-insulated electric apparatus of this embodiment is characterized in that an antenna detecting the electromagnetic wave is disposed in close contact on a portion, of each of the insulating plates, exposed from the flange portions of the flanged conductive pipes, via an elastic member capable of transmitting the electromagnetic wave.
US08981759B2
A multimeter includes: a rotary switch which selects a measurement function; a common terminal hole into which a connector of a test probe is inserted; selection terminal holes into which the connector of the test probe is selectively inserted; and shutter plates which selectively open the selection terminal holes. The rotary switch includes convex portions. The shutter plate includes a hole corresponding to the common terminal hole so that the shutter plate rotates by using the center of the common terminal hole as the rotation axis and includes a concave portion engageable with the convex portion so that the shutter plate rotates to open the selection terminal holes by the movement of the convex portion. The shutter plate includes a concave portion engageable with the convex portion so that the shutter plate opens and closes the selection terminal hole by the movement of the convex portion.
US08981744B2
A circuit for regulating and monitoring a signal current, comprising a regulating circuit; and a monitoring circuit. The regulating circuit comprises: a first controlled voltage source for outputting a target value dependent controlled voltage; a current adjust circuit for adjusting the signal current in dependence on the controlled voltage and a first feedback voltage by means of a potentiometer; and a first feedback path, with at least one first resistance element across which the signal current flows. The voltage drop across the resistance element or one of the voltages of the current adjust circuit dependent thereon is supplied as a first feedback voltage. The monitoring circuit comprises: a second controlled voltage source for outputting a second target value dependent controlled voltage; an analog monitoring circuit for determining the deviation between the second controlled voltage and a second feedback voltage; and a second feedback path with a resistance element across which the signal current flows, wherein the voltage drop across the resistance element or a voltage of the monitoring circuit dependent thereon is supplied as a second feedback voltage.
US08981741B2
A voltage regulator has an input terminal for receiving a supply voltage and an output terminal for providing a regulated voltage and a regulated current. Furthermore, the voltage regulator includes a regulator for generating the regulated voltage and the regulated current according to a regulation of the supply voltage. The regulator includes a plurality of regulation branches arranged between the input terminal and the output terminal, each one for providing an output voltage used for obtaining the regulated voltage and for providing an output current contributing to define the regulated current. The regulation branches are partitioned into a plurality of subsets each one including components adapted to operate within a corresponding maximum voltage different from the maximum voltage of the other subsets. In addition, the regulator includes a selector for selectively enabling the regulation branches according to an indicator of the supply voltage.
US08981732B2
Disclosed herein is a switch for turning on/off the connection between a first terminal and a second terminal. The switch includes a first transistor circuit configured from two transistors connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a second transistor circuit having a gate terminal connected to source terminals of the two transistors and a source terminal connected to gate terminals of the two transistors. The connection between the first terminal and the second terminal is changed over between on and off states by changing over a potential to the source terminal of the second transistor circuit between high and low levels.
US08981724B2
A battery pack discharging device is provided. The device includes a hand-held member having a handle portion and first and second actuation members extending from the handle portion. The device further includes a docking device having a housing, first and second switches, and a resistor. The housing has first and second apertures extending therethrough. First and second actuation members of the hand-held member are disposed in first and second apertures, respectively, of the housing such that the first and second actuation members transition the first and second switches, respectively, to first and second closed operational positions, respectively, to discharge the battery pack.
US08981722B2
A cell control device according to the present invention includes: a discharge circuit that discharges each unit cell selected by the first switches among a plurality of unit cells connected in series; a charging circuit that charges each unit cell selected by the second switches among the unit cells connected in series, and; a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of each unit cell via voltage detection lines respectively connected to positive and negative electrodes of the unit cells; an oscillator that irradiates high frequency electromagnetic radiation upon the voltage detection lines; and a charging control unit that controls switching of the first switches, thereby performing discharge of the each unit cell, and a charging control unit that controls switching of the second switches, thereby performing charging of the unit cells, based on voltages of the unit cells that are detected by the voltage detection unit.
US08981716B2
A power sharing system employs an easily installed power share module for controlling the operation of an EVSE for charging an electric vehicle. The power module senses the power load of an appliance or of a service line to a remote residential unit and transmits a command signal to the EVSE. The power control module is configurable to transmit an on/off signal to the EVSE or a control level signal to the EVSE for controlling the charging by the EVSE in accordance with the available power due to the load of the appliance or the service line load.
US08981715B2
A charging cable, used for charging an electric storage device in an electric vehicle from an external power supply, controls a usage history of the charging cable by a CCID, displays a warning on an external monitor, and regulates charging when a service life limit of the charging cable has been exceeded.
US08981706B2
An electric motor drive apparatus includes multiple inverter sections arranged corresponding to winding sets of a motor, multiple relays that controls power supplies to the inverter sections, and a control unit. Each inverter section and corresponding winding set are referred to as a system. The control unit includes an obtaining section that obtains a winding current, a determination section that determines a fault occurrence, a specifying section that specifies a faulty system in which the fault occurs, an interrupting section that controls the relay corresponding to the faulty system to interrupt the power supply to the faulty system, and a vibrating section that controls the inverter section of a properly-operating system to add a vibration to an output torque from the electric motor. The vibrating section gradually increases a vibration component of the vibration added to the output torque from the electric motor.
US08981701B2
Provided is an apparatus for compensating offset of a current sensor detecting a motor current supplied by an inverter for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control of a motor, the apparatus including a current controller providing a PWM signal generated based on the motor current detected by the current sensor to the inverter, calculating an offset using the motor current detected by the current sensor in response to presence and absence of the PWM control of the motor, or offset-compensating the motor current detected by the current sensor.
US08981697B2
The motor monitoring system of the present disclosure uses several calculated monitoring values to determine a status of a motor and take a predetermined action when a threshold corresponding with the monitoring value is exceeded. The threshold may be calculated by an intelligent electronic device (IED) monitoring the motor. The predetermined action may include further monitoring of the motor. The predetermined action may include monitoring equipment not directly monitored by the IED.
US08981692B2
An electric motor system includes a motor configured to produce a torque signal in response to a torque command. The torque signal has a fundamental frequency component, a first ripple harmonic and a second ripple harmonic. The first ripple harmonic is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency component. The second ripple harmonic is an integer multiple of the first ripple harmonic. A system and method is provided to generate a ripple reduction signal in response to the torque command that simultaneously cancels the first and the second ripple harmonic in the torque signal. The second ripple harmonic may be canceled with the first ripple harmonic by being projected onto the first ripple harmonic through a transformation matrix.
US08981684B2
A motor assembly includes an electric motor having a stator and a rotor. A housing is coupled to the electric motor. A motor controller is disposed within the housing. A human machine interface (HMI) is selectively detachably coupled to the housing and in communication with the motor controller. The HMI includes a user input for control of the electric motor when the HMI is coupled to the housing and for control of the electric motor when the HMI is separately disposed from the housing.
US08981674B2
The invention relates to a detector circuit comprising a connection for a voltage supply (Vbat) and a connection for connecting a lamp (LED), said connection being connected to the connection for a voltage supply (Vbat) and to a first control component (I2C) of a first interface protocol and a second control component (PWM) of a second interface protocol. The detector circuit further comprises a first input node (In1) and a second input node (In2), wherein the first control component (I2C) is connected to the first input node (In1) and the second input node (In2) and the second control component (PWM) is connected to the second input node (In2). A detector (det) for ascertaining an interface standard is coupled to the connection for a voltage supply (Vbat) and the first input node (In1) on one side and to ground (GND) on the other side.
US08981673B2
A power supply includes a switch configured to control flow of current output from an inductor to an output of the power supply. The switch receives a switching signal from a control circuit. An auxiliary bias is generated to power the control circuit. A bias circuit outputs a bias signal that is used to generate the auxiliary bias. The bias circuit senses a level of the auxiliary bias to control output of the bias signal. Output of the bias signal may be controlled to maintain the level of the auxiliary bias at a target level or within a target range.
US08981671B2
An illumination system includes a plurality of illumination apparatuses, each of the illumination apparatuses including a light source, a detection sensor for sensing presence and absence of a moving object, a wireless communication unit for transmitting a sensing signal of the detection sensor to other illumination apparatuses and for receiving a sensing signal from other illumination apparatuses and a control unit for controlling an output of the light source based on the sensing signal of the detection sensor or the sensing signal transmitted from other illumination apparatuses. If the detection sensor of one of the illumination apparatuses senses the moving object, at least one of remaining illumination apparatuses is controlled together by the sensing signal wirelessly transmitted from said one of the illumination apparatuses.
US08981670B2
According to one embodiment, a storing section stores a first group address allocated to a luminaire, stores, as a second group address, the first group address allocated to another luminaire, and stores control information corresponding to the second group address. A control section subjects, when the receiving section receives a control signal including the second group address, a light source section to lighting control on the basis of the control information corresponding to the second group address stored in the storing section.
US08981669B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a lamp comprising a first emitting device, a second emitting device, and a control signal generation device. The control signal generation device generates a first control signal and a second control signal to control the first emitting device and the second emitting device, so that a first light flux generated by the first emitting device is equivalent to a second light flux generated by the second emitting device, wherein the second control signal is generated according to the first control signal.
US08981654B2
The invention provides a light emitting diode (LED) centralized DC (direct-current) power supply system and operating methods thereof. The proposed DC power supply system comprises a three-phase AC (alternating-current) input interface, a DC power supply output interface, N+1 three-phase PWM (pulse width modulation) rectifier modules, LED cluster loads and a power supply management module. The proposed operating methods are described as following: the power supply management module adjusts the duty ratio of the three-phase PWM rectifier modules, based on the control signals formed by synthesizing the information about voltage and current of the positive and negative output buses, the three-phase AC input ends, control signals and output of the three-phase PWM rectifier modules, hence AC voltage of power grid can be directly converted into adjustable DC voltage by the PWM rectifier.
US08981653B2
Flash driver to limit a load current of a flash and method to limit a load current of a flash driver
A flash driver to limit a load current for a flash comprises a dc/dc converter (DCDC) having a first input (IN1) to receive an input voltage (Vin) and an output (OUT) to supply an output voltage (Vout). The dc/dc converter is designed to convert the input voltage (Vin) to the output voltage (Vout). Furthermore the flash driver has an adjustable current source (Iadj) connected between the output (OUT) and a load terminal (LT). A first control unit (CTRL—1) is connected to the first input (IN1) and coupled to the adjustable current source (Iadj), and is designed to compare the input voltage (Vin) to a threshold (Vth) and, if the comparison indicates the input voltage (Vin) being smaller than the threshold value (Vth), adjust the adjustable current source (Iadj) such that the input voltage (Vin) is equal or greater than the threshold value (Vth). A second control unit (CTRL—2) is coupled to the adjustable current source (Iadj) and the dc/dc converter (DCDC) and is designed to detect a voltage drop over the adjustable current source (Iadj) and to set the dc/dc converter (DCDC) to control the conversion of input voltage (Vin) to the output voltage (Vout) depending on the detected voltage drop.
US08981649B2
There is provided a light emitting diode (LED) driving apparatus configured such that a waveform of current input to an LED follows a sine wave, the LED driving apparatus including, a switching unit switching an LED unit having a plurality of LEDs receiving rectified power and emitting light, a driving control unit controlling the switching of the switching unit according to a voltage level of the rectified power, a current limiting unit limiting current flowing in the LED unit, and an adjusting unit adjusting current limitation of the current limiting unit according to the voltage level of the rectified power.
US08981638B2
To improve image quality of a full-color organic EL display panel. A partition has a stacked structure formed using different materials. A lower partition has a curved shape, and an upper partition has a flat top surface. An angle formed between a plane surface connecting a lower end of a side surface with an upper end of the side surface of the upper partition and the top surface of the upper partition is less than or equal to 90°. The height of the partition is controlled to be greater than or equal to 0.5 μm and less than or equal to 1.3 μm. With such a structure, a large color organic EL display panel achieves high-definition display.
US08981634B2
A spark plug with a particular configuration, particularly in the area of a gasket that seals between a shell and insulator, increases the mechanical strength of the spark plug and helps prevent breaking, cracking and/or other failures in the insulator. The spark plug is designed such that the shell, insulator and gasket, which may be in the form of a sleeve-like cylindrical gasket or a ring-like annular gasket, work together to provide better support for the insulator against axial and/or radial stresses. This improved support can offset certain stresses, such as radial stress RS that can be exerted against the insulator core nose when the engine experiences knocking or misfiring.
US08981628B2
The present invention provides an ultra violet irradiating device for aligning liquid crystal and also an water-cooling coaxial tube. The ultraviolet irradiating device includes a water-cooling coaxial tube configured with an inter tube and an external pipe enveloping the internal pipe. A light tube is disposed within the internal pipe, and an infrared filter layer is disposed between the internal and external pipes; and an ultra violet filter layer is coated over an external surface of the external pipe so as to filter out an ultra violet light beam having wavelength lower than 320 nm. The breakage of the unit filters resulted from inter pushing with each other or leakage resulted from overlapping of the unit filters can be readily resolved.
US08981626B2
A piezoelectric material contains a perovskite oxynitride expressed by the General Formula: (Ba1-xSrx)(Ti1-3z(Nb1-yTay)3z)(O1-wNw)3. In the formula, x, y, z and w are numerical values satisfying the relationships: 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, 0
US08981625B2
In the present invention, provided is an organic piezoelectric material specifically exhibiting high orientation and thermal stability as an organic piezoelectric material exhibiting an excellent piezoelectric characteristic and having piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity, which is capable of converting thermal or mechanical simulation into electrical energy, and also provided are an ultrasound probe for which the organic piezoelectric material is used, and an ultrasound image detector thereof. It is a feature that an organic piezoelectric material of the present invention possesses a compound represented by Formula (1) and a base material made of an organic polymeric material, satisfying Expression (1): |C Log P (1)−C Log P (base material)|≦3.0 when C Log P values of the compound and the base material are expressed as C Log P (1) and C Log P (base material), respectively.
US08981623B2
A piezoelectric vibrating piece is to be bonded to and sandwiched between a lid plate and a base plate with an external electrode. The piezoelectric vibrating piece has a first main surface at the lid plate side and a second main surface at the base plate side. The piezoelectric vibrating piece includes an excitation unit, a first excitation electrode, a second excitation electrode, a framing portion, one connecting portion, a first extraction electrode, and a second extraction electrode. The connecting portion includes a planar surface parallel to both the main surfaces and a side face intersecting with the planar surface. The first extraction electrode is extracted via the connecting portion. The second extraction electrode is extracted via the connecting portion. The first extraction electrode is disposed on at least a part of the side face of the connecting portion to be extracted to the framing portion.
US08981619B2
A vibration type actuator providing a satisfactory actuator performance even when an increase in speed is achieved and having a contact spring. The actuator includes a vibrator equipped with an electrical-mechanical energy conversion element, an elastic member to which the electrical-mechanical energy conversion element is fixed, and a protrusion provided on the elastic member. The vibrator can generate an elliptic movement in the protrusion. A driven body is configured to come into contact with the protrusion and to make a relative movement with respect to the vibrator. The protrusion includes a contact portion having a contact surface contacting the driven body, a continuous side wall portion protruding with respect to one end surface of the elastic member and forming a hollow structure, and a connection portion connecting the contact portion and the side wall portion and exhibiting flexibility in a direction normal to the contact surface.
US08981615B2
A wound stator core disclosed is substantially formed from a spirally piled strip. In an embodiment, the strip with a specific length is formed with a first dentition and a second dentition, whereas the first dentition is featured by a first slot-number ratio and is composed of a first side and a plurality of first teeth in a manner that the plural first teeth are arranged as an array on the first side; which is also same to the second dentition while allowing the second slot-number ratio to be equal to the first slot-number ratio. In addition, each first tooth is formed with a first dental part at a free end thereof, while also each second tooth is formed with a second dental part at a free end thereof, and the first dental part of each first tooth is connected to the second dental part of its corresponding second tooth.
US08981611B2
A rotor includes magnetic pole portions and first and second ferric core portions. The first and second ferric core portions are each located between magnetic pole portions in the circumferential direction of a rotor. A first gap is formed between the first or second ferric core portion and a magnetic pole portion at a first circumferential side. A second gap is formed between the first or second ferric core portion and the magnetic pole portion at a second circumferential side. The first gap has a smaller width than the second gap at the first ferric core portion. The first ferric core portion is inclined toward the first circumferential side. The first gap is larger than the second gap at the second ferric core portion. The second ferric core portion is inclined toward the second circumferential side.
US08981609B2
Disclosed is a generator for a wind energy installation having a rotor which has permanent magnets and is directly connected for drive purposes to a blade rotor of the wind energy installation, and having a stator which has an iron core composed of laminates. The generator is formed without the rotor or the stator on the external circumference as a completely surrounding housing, and the laminates of the stator are connected to one another by adhesive bonding and/or welding.
US08981606B2
A connector assembly that mechanically and electrically connects respective ends of first and second stator coil sections includes first and second clip assemblies, first and second connector bar assemblies, and first and second coupling structures. The first clip assembly includes first and second clip members and the second clip includes third and fourth clip members. The first and second connector bar assemblies are coupled to the first and third clip members and to the second and fourth clip members, respectively, to structurally couple the first stator coil section to the second stator coil section. The first clip member, the first connector bar assembly, and the third clip member create a first path for electric current between the stator coil sections, and the second clip member, the second connector bar assembly, and the fourth clip member create a second path for electric current between the stator coil sections.
US08981601B2
The method is for operating a remotely-controlled switching device of an energy management system. The switching device is mounted in series on a local electrically powered circuit on which are also mounted in series a load and an electronic thermostat. The method includes generating a first pulsed signal for controlling the switching device, the switching device opening and closing the circuit in response to the first signal. The circuit is opened to prevent the load from operating and is closed when operation of the load is allowed. The method includes generating a second pulsed signal for controlling the switching device at least when the circuit is opened by the switching device in response to the first signal. The second signal causes the switching device to temporarily close the opened circuit at given intervals for keeping an internal circuitry of the thermostat energized while still substantially preventing the load from operating.
US08981584B2
A wind turbine typically includes a generator and a rotating mechanical system having a natural period. The present invention relates to a method of controlling generator torque that minimizes oscillations in the speed of the generator rotor. In the event of a grid fault or transient, or a fault in the power converter, the generator torque is decreased at a substantially constant rate with respect to time. The rate at which the generator torque is decreases is proportional to the nominal rated torque of the generator and inversely proportional to an integer multiple of the natural period of the rotating mechanical system.
US08981579B2
A microelectronic assembly is disclosed that is capable of achieving a desired impedance for raised conductive elements. The microelectronic assembly may include an interconnection element, a surface conductive element, a microelectronic device, a plurality of raised conductive elements, and a bond element. The microelectronic device may overlie the dielectric element and at least one surface conductive element attached to the front surface. The plurality of raised conductive elements may connect the device contacts with the element contacts. The raised conductive elements may have substantial portions spaced a first height above and extending at least generally parallel to at least one surface conductive element, such that a desired impedance may be achieved for the raised conductive elements. A bond element may electrically connect at least one surface conductive element with at least one reference contact that may be connectable to a source of reference potential.
US08981578B2
A sensor array package can include a sensor disposed on a first side of a substrate. Signal trenches can be formed along the edges of the substrate and a conductive layer can be deposited in the signal trench and can couple to sensor signal pads. Bond wires can be attached to the conductive layers and can be arranged to be below a surface plane of the sensor. The sensor array package can be embedded in a printed circuit board enabling the bond wires to terminate at other conductors within the printed circuit board.
US08981574B2
A semiconductor package is provided comprising a package substrate having an opening located in a central region thereof and a circuit pattern provided adjacent to the opening. A first semiconductor chip is located on the package substrate and includes first bonding pads. A pair of second semiconductor chips are spaced apart from each other across the opening and mounted between the package substrate and the first semiconductor chip. Each of the second semiconductor chips includes a second bonding pad. A connection element is further provided to electrically connect the second bonding pad to a corresponding one of the first bonding pads.
US08981571B2
A package assembly includes a substrate, an electronic component, and an encapsulation body. The electronic component is located on the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate. The encapsulation body encapsulates the electronic component with the substrate. A portion of the substrate corresponding to the electronic component defines a plurality of through holes. A diameter of each of the plurality of through holes gradually reduces from a top surface of the substrate toward a bottom surface of the substrate. The plurality of through holes prevent melting remnants of the encapsulation body from flowing outside of the substrate.
US08981570B2
A through-holed interposer is provided, including a board body, a conductive gel formed in the board body, and a circuit redistribution structure disposed on the board body. The conductive gel has one end protruding from a surface of the board body, and an area of the protruded end of the conductive gel that is in contact with other structures (e.g., packaging substrates or circuit structures) is increased, thereby strengthening the bonding of the conductive gel and reliability of the interposer.
US08981567B2
A device includes a substrate with a recess, having a bottom and sides, extending into the substrate from the substrate's upper surface. The sides include first and second sides oriented transversely to one another. A stack of alternating active and insulating layers overlie the substrate's surface and the recess. At least some of the active layers have an upper and lower portions extending along upper and lower planes over and generally parallel to the upper surface and to the bottom, respectively. The active layers have first and second upward extensions positioned along the first and second sides to extend from the lower portions of their respective active layers. Conductive strips adjoin the second upward extensions of the said active layers. The conductive strips can comprise sidewall spacers on the sides of the second upward extensions, the conductive strips connected to overlying conductors by interlayer conductors.
US08981560B2
A method and structure for fabricating sensor(s) or electronic device(s) using vertical mounting with interconnections. The method includes providing a resulting device including at least one sensor or electronic device, formed on a die member, having contact region(s) with one or more conductive materials formed thereon. The resulting device can then be singulated within a vicinity of the contact region(s) to form one or more singulated dies, each having a singulated surface region. The singulated die(s) can be coupled to a substrate member, having a first surface region, such that the singulated surface region(s) of the singulated die(s) are coupled to a portion of the first surface region. Interconnections can be formed between the die(s) and the substrate member with conductive adhesives, solder processes, or other conductive bonding processes.
US08981558B2
A semiconductor device includes a multi-level wiring structure that includes a first wring layer, a plurality of first patterns, and a first mark. The first wring layer is disposed at a first wiring level of the multi-level wiring structure. The plurality of first patterns is disposed over the first wring layer. The plurality of first patterns is disposed at a second wiring level of the multi-level wiring structure. The second wiring level is above the first wiring level. The plurality of first patterns is disposed over the first wring layer. The plurality of first patterns is disposed at a second wiring level of the multi-level wiring structure. The second wiring level is above the first wiring level. The first mark is disposed over the first wring layer. The first mark is disposed at a third wiring level. The third wiring level is above the second wiring level.
US08981553B2
A power semiconductor module includes a first printed circuit board having a first insulation carrier, and a first upper metallization and a first lower metallization applied to the first insulation carrier on mutually opposite sides, and a second printed circuit board having a second insulation carrier and a second upper metallization applied to the second insulation carrier. The second printed circuit board is spaced apart from the first printed circuit board in a vertical direction oriented perpendicular to the opposite sides of the first insulation carrier. A semiconductor chip is disposed between the printed circuit boards and electrically conductively connected at least to the second upper metallization. The first lower metallization and the second upper metallization face one another. The first printed circuit board has a first thick conductor layer at least partly embedded in the first insulation carrier and which has a thickness of at least 100 μm.
US08981550B2
A semiconductor package improves reliability of heat emitting performance by maintaining a heat emitting lid stacked on a top surface of a semiconductor chip at a tightly adhered state. A highly adhesive interface material and a thermal interface material are applied to the top surface of the semiconductor chip. The highly adhesive interface material insures that the heat emitting lid is bonded to the top surface while the thermal interface material insures excellent heat transfer between the top surface and the heat emitting lid.
US08981548B2
An integrated circuit package system including: providing a die pad with a top, sides, and a bottom, the bottom having a relief with a flat surface and defining a wall and a center pad; mounting a barrier under the bottom of the die pad; mounting an integrated circuit die on the top of the die pad; encapsulating the integrated circuit die and the top and sides of the die pad with the wall preventing encapsulation from flowing along the barrier to reach the center pad; and mounting an external interconnect on the center pad.
US08981547B2
A microelectronic assembly 5 can include first and second microelectronic packages 10a, 10b mounted to respective first and second opposed surfaces 61, 62 of a circuit panel 60. Each microelectronic package 10a, 10b can include a substrate 20 having first and second apertures 26a, 26b extending between first and second surfaces 21, 22 thereof, first and second microelectronic elements 30a, 30b each having a surface 31 facing the first surface of the substrate and a plurality of contacts 35 exposed at the surface of the respective microelectronic element and aligned with at least one of the apertures, and a plurality of terminals 25a exposed at the second surface in a central region 23 thereof. The apertures 26a, 26b of each substrate 20 can have first and second parallel axes 29a, 29b extending in directions of the lengths of the respective apertures. The central region 23 of the second surface 22 of each substrate 20 can be disposed between the first and second axes 29a, 29b of the respective substrate 20.
US08981544B2
A packaging structure including at least one cavity wherein at least one micro-device is provided, the cavity being bounded by at least a first substrate and at least a second substrate integral with the first substrate through at least one bonding interface consisting of at least one metal or dielectric material, wherein at least one main face of the second substrate provided facing the first substrate is covered with at least one layer of at least one getter material, the bonding interface being provided between the first substrate and the layer of getter material.
US08981526B2
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first inductor formed on a first substrate; a second inductor formed on a second substrate and conductively coupled with the first inductor as a transformer; and a plurality of micro-bump features configured between the first and second substrates. The plurality of micro-bump features include a magnetic material having a relative permeability substantially greater than one and are configured to enhance coupling between the first and second inductors.
US08981525B2
An anti-fuse based on a Field Nitride Trap (FNT) is disclosed. The anti-fuse includes a first active pillar including a first junction, a second active pillar including a second junction, a selection line buried between the first active pillar and the second active pillar, and a trap layer for electrically coupling the first junction to the second junction by trapping minority carriers according to individual voltages applied to the first junction, the second junction and the selection line. As a result, the fuse can be highly integrated through the above-mentioned structure, and programming of the fuse can be easily achieved.
US08981519B2
A semiconductor substrate (41) includes an insulating substrate (30), a plurality of semiconductor thin films (46) which are arranged on the insulating substrate (30) to be separated from each other, and a conductive film (33) which is arranged between the semiconductor thin films (46). Therefore, it is possible to uniformly thin the film thickness of each of the semiconductor thin films.
US08981513B2
An electrical circuit includes a solar cell that has a photovoltaically active front side and a back side. An electronic or micromechanical component is arranged on the back side of the solar cell and is electrically connected to the photovoltaically active front side of the solar cell by a contact-making structure. The electrical circuit also includes a transparent first protective layer that is arranged on the photovoltaically active front side of the solar cell. The contact-making structure has a first contact-making section that is arranged on a front side of the first protective layer facing away from the solar cell.
US08981512B1
A pixel array includes a plurality of photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor layer and arranged in the pixel array. A color filter layer is disposed proximate to the semiconductor layer. Light is to be directed to at least a first one of the plurality of photodiodes through the color filter layer. An optical shield layer is disposed proximate to the color filter layer. The color filter layer is disposed between the optical shield layer and the semiconductor layer. The optical shield layer shields at least a second one of the plurality of photodiodes from the light.
US08981509B2
A light receiving layer is formed with an array of photodiodes for accumulating signal charge produced by photoelectric conversion of incident light. A wiring layer provided with electrodes and wiring for controlling the photodiodes is formed behind the light receiving layer in a traveling direction of the incident light. In the light receiving layer, there is formed a projection and depression structure in which a pair of inclined surfaces have symmetric inclination directions and each inclined surface corresponds to each photodiode. Each inclined surface makes the incident light enter each photodiode by a light amount corresponding to an incident angle.
US08981499B2
A MEMS chip package includes a first chip, a second chip, a first coupling element, and a first redistribution layer. The first chip has a first chip surface and a second chip surface, which is opposite the first chip surface. The second chip has a first chip surface and a second chip surface, which is opposite the first chip surface. The first coupling element couples the first chip surface of the second chip to the first chip surface of the first chip, so that a first cavity is defined between the first chip and the second chip. The first redistribution layer is mounted on the second chip surface of the second chip and is configured to provide contact with a substrate.
US08981496B2
An embodiment includes a substrate, wherein a portion of the substrate extends upwards, forming a fin, a gate dielectric over a top surface and sidewalls of the fin, a liner overlaying the gate dielectric, and an uninterrupted metallic feature over the liner a portion of the liner overlaying the gate dielectric, wherein the liner extends from a top surface of the uninterrupted metallic feature and covers sidewalls of the metallic feature, and wherein the gate dielectric, liner, and uninterrupted metallic feature collectively form a gate, a gate contact barrier, and a gate contact.
US08981491B1
A memory array having improved radiation immunity is described. The memory array comprises a plurality of memory elements, each memory element having an p-type transistor formed in an n-type region; and a plurality of p-wells, each p-well having an n-type transistor coupled to a corresponding p-type transistor to form a memory element of the plurality of memory elements; wherein each p-well provides a p-n junction to dissipate minority charge in a portion of the n-type region occupied by a corresponding p-type transistor and associated with at least two adjacent memory elements. A method of implementing a memory array is also described.
US08981487B2
A method for fabricating fin-shaped field-effect transistor (FinFET) is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate; forming a fin-shaped structure in the substrate; forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) on the substrate and around the bottom portion of the fin-shaped structure; forming a first gate structure on the STI and the fin-shaped structure; and removing a portion of the STI for exposing the sidewalls of the STI underneath the first gate structure.
US08981477B2
A laterally-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The LDMOS device can include a drift region, a source region and a drain region spaced a predetermined interval apart from each other in the drift region, a field insulating layer formed in the drift region between the source region and the drain region, and a first P-TOP region formed under the field insulating layer. The LDMOS device can further include a gate polysilicon covering a portion of the field insulating layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate polysilicon, and a contact line penetrating the gate electrode, the gate polysilicon, and the field insulating layer.
US08981468B2
Disclosed are semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes active portions defined in a semiconductor substrate, a device isolation pattern in a trench formed between the active portions, a gate electrode in a gate recess region crossing the active portions and the device isolation pattern, a gate dielectric layer between the gate electrode and an inner surface of the gate recess region, and a first ohmic pattern and a second ohmic pattern on each of the active portions at both sides of the gate electrode, respectively. The first and second ohmic patterns include a metal-semiconductor compound, and a top surface of the device isolation pattern at both sides of the gate recess region is recessed to be lower than a level of a top surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08981467B2
A semiconductor device includes an active region including a surface region and a first recess formed on both sides of the surface region, the active region extending along a first direction; a device isolation structure surrounding the active region; a pair of gate lines extending along the surface region of the active region in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of second recesses formed in the device isolation structure beneath the gate lines and including given portions of the gate lines filled into the second recesses; a plurality of first junction regions formed in the active region beneath the first recesses; and a second junction region formed in the surface region between the gate lines, wherein the second junction region defines at least two vertical-type channels below the gate line with the plurality of first junction regions.
US08981465B2
A trench Schottky diode and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The manufacturing method includes the following steps. Firstly, a semiconductor substrate is provided. A multi-trench structure including a wide trench and a plurality of narrow trenches is formed in the semiconductor substrate, a gate oxide layer is formed on a surface of the multi-trench structure, and a polysilicon structure is formed over the gate oxide layer and the first oxide layer. The polysilicon structure is etched to partially expose the first oxide layer and the gate oxide layer on a bottom surface of the wide trench. The semiconductor substrate, the polysilicon structure and the gate oxide layer are partially exposed by a photolithography and etching process. A metal sputtering layer is formed. Afterwards, the metal sputtering layer is etched to expose a part of the second oxide layer.
US08981462B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer having an opening formed therein, a first insulating layer disposed on a bottom surface of the opening and on a sidewall of the opening, a second insulating layer disposed on the sidewall of the opening above the first insulating layer, the second insulating layer being thinner than the first insulating layer, a field plate electrode disposed on the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer and having a recess extending from an upper surface of the field plate electrode towards the bottom surface of the opening, and a first layer disposed in the recess and including a material that is different from a material of the field plate electrode.
US08981456B2
A semiconductor storage device according to the present embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate. Each of memory cell arrays includes a plurality of memory cells on the semiconductor substrate. Select gate transistors are provided on ends of the memory cell arrays and brought into conduction when the memory cells are connected to a corresponding line. An embedded impurity layer is embedded in active areas between the select gate transistors respectively corresponding to the memory cell arrays adjacent to each other. Contact plugs connect the embedded impurity layer and the lines.
US08981453B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a unit cell with a transistor and a capacitor. The transistor is disposed on a substrate having a tunneling region and a channel region and includes a floating gate crossing both the tunneling region and the channel region. The capacitor is coupled to the floating gate.
US08981451B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a well region in the substrate, a patterned first dielectric layer on the substrate extending over the well region, a patterned first gate structure on the patterned first dielectric layer, a patterned second dielectric layer on the patterned first gate structure, and a patterned second gate structure on the patterned second dielectric layer. The patterned first gate structure includes a first section extending in a first direction and a second section extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first section, the first section and the second section intersecting each other in a cross pattern. The patterned second gate structure includes at least one of a first section extending in the first direction over the first section of the patterned first gate structure or a second section extending in the second direction over the second section of the patterned first gate structure.
US08981447B2
An LED package includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a reflecting cup connecting the first electrode and the second electrode, and an LED chip. The first electrode includes a first main portion and a first connecting portion extending outwardly from the first main portion. The first connecting portion has a first connecting face away from the first main portion. The second electrode includes a second main portion and a second connecting portion extending outwardly from the second main portion. The second connecting portion has a second connecting face away from the second main portion. The first main portion and the second main portion are embedded into the receiving cup, and the first connecting face of the first connecting portion and the second connecting face of the second connecting portion are exposed outside the receiving cup.
US08981446B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory including an isolation region with an insulator in a trench is disclosed. The isolation region defines active areas extending in a 1st direction and having 1st and 2nd active areas, an isolation region extending in a 2nd direction perpendicular to the 1st direction exists between the 1st and 2nd active areas. 1st and 2nd word lines extending in the 2nd direction are buried in a surface of semiconductor substrate. 1st and 2nd select transistors connected to the word lines are on the 1st active area. 1st and 2nd variable resistance elements connected to drain regions of the 1st and 2nd select transistors are on the 1st active area.
US08981444B2
Novel etch techniques are provided for shaping silicon features below the photolithographic resolution limits. FinFET devices are defined by recessing oxide and exposing a silicon protrusion to an isotropic etch, at least in the channel region. In one implementation, the protrusion is contoured by a dry isotropic etch having excellent selectivity, using a downstream microwave plasma etch.
US08981437B2
Pixel Front end circuits particularly applicable to photodetectors requiring wide bias ranges and/or with high background currents. In various versions, wide bias ranges, short protection, and background current subtraction, both predetermined and automatically sampled, are disclosed.
US08981430B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a bipolar transistor with low resistance base contact and method of manufacturing the same. The bipolar transistor includes an emitter, a collector, and an intrinsic base between the emitter and the collector. The intrinsic base extends laterally to an extrinsic base. The extrinsic base further includes a first semiconductor material with a first bandgap and a second semiconductor material with a second bandgap that is smaller than the first bandgap.
US08981428B2
There are provided a semiconductor device in which a drain leak current can be reduced in the transistor operation while high vertical breakdown voltage is achieved and a method for producing the semiconductor device. In the semiconductor device, an opening 28 that extends from an n+-type contact layer 8 and reaches an n-type drift layer 4 through a p-type barrier layer 6 is formed. The semiconductor device includes a regrown layer 27 located so as to cover portions of the p-type barrier layer 6 and the like that are exposed to the opening, the regrown layer 27 including an undoped GaN channel layer 22 and a carrier supply layer 26; an insulating layer 9 located so as to cover the regrown layer 27; and a gate electrode G located on the insulating layer 9. In the p-type barrier layer, the Mg concentration A (cm−3)and the hydrogen concentration B (cm−3) satisfy 0.1
US08981425B2
A transient-voltage suppressing (TVS) device disposed on a semiconductor substrate including a low-side steering diode, a high-side steering diode integrated with a main Zener diode for suppressing a transient voltage. The low-side steering diode and the high-side steering diode integrated with the Zener diode are disposed in the semiconductor substrate and each constituting a vertical PN junction as vertical diodes in the semiconductor substrate whereby reducing a lateral area occupied by the TVS device. In an exemplary embodiment, the high-side steering diode and the Zener diode are vertically overlapped with each other for further reducing lateral areas occupied by the TVS device.
US08981419B2
An LED includes a base, a pair of leads fixed on the base, a housing fixed on the leads, a chip mounted on one lead and an encapsulant sealing the chip. The housing defines a cavity in a central area thereof and a chamber adjacent to a circumferential periphery thereof. Top faces of the leads are exposed in the chamber. A blocking wall is formed in the chamber to contact the exposed top faces of the leads. A bonding force between the blocking wall and the leads is larger than that between the leads and the housing.
US08981417B2
An improved light emitting heterostructure and/or device is provided, which includes a contact layer having a contact shape comprising one of: a clover shape with at least a third order axis of symmetry or an H-shape. The use of these shapes can provide one or more improved operating characteristics for the light emitting devices. The contact shapes can be used, for example, with contact layers on nitride-based devices that emit light having a wavelength in at least one of: the blue spectrum or the deep ultraviolet (UV) spectrum.
US08981414B2
A light emitting diode includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer and a third semiconductor stacked in that order; a first electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer; a second electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer. The light emitting diode further includes a carbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube layer is enclosed in the interior of the first semiconductor layer. The carbon nanotube layer includes a number of carbon nanotubes.
US08981411B2
This application discloses a light-emitting device with narrow dominant wavelength distribution and a method of making the same. The light-emitting device with narrow dominant wavelength distribution at least includes a substrate, a plurality of light-emitting stacked layers on the substrate, and a plurality of wavelength transforming layers on the light-emitting stacked layers, wherein the light-emitting stacked layer emits a first light with a first dominant wavelength variation; the wavelength transforming layer absorbs the first light and converts the first light into the second light with a second dominant wavelength variation; and the first dominant wavelength variation is larger than the second dominant wavelength variation.
US08981401B2
The present invention is a package for optical semiconductor devices, and an optical semiconductor device using the package, which can prevent discoloration of a plating layer formed on a lead frame even when a silicone resin is used as a sealing resin for an optical semiconductor device, and which enables high luminous efficiency for a long time.Specifically, in the package for semiconductor devices, a plating laminate 15, wherein a pure Ag plating layer 4, a thin reflective plating layer 6 serving as the uppermost layer for improving the light reflection ratio, and a resistant plating layer 5 serving as an intermediate layer therebetween and having chemical resistance against at least either metal chlorides or metal sulfides are laminated, is formed on at least the surface of a lead electrode. The reflective plating layer 4 is composed of a pure Ag thin film, and the resistant plating layer 5 is composed of a complete solid solution Au—Ag alloy plating layer.
US08981400B2
A device having an FET structure for the emission of an optical radiation integrated on a substrate of a semiconductor material, includes a first mirror, a second mirror of a dielectric type and an active layer comprising a main zone designed to be excited to generate the radiation. The device also includes a first electrically conductive layer containing two doped regions constitutes a source well and a drain well between which a current flows, a second electrically conductive layer which constitutes a gate, and a dielectric region between the first and second layer, to space corresponding peripheral portions of the first and second layers so that the current is channeled in the main zone for generating excitation radiation. The first and second electrically conductive layers and the active layer define an optical cavity.
US08981392B2
There is provided a light emitting device package including: a package substrate; a blue light emitting device and a green light emitting device mounted on the package substrate; a flow prevention part formed on the package substrate and substantially enclosing the blue light emitting device; and a wavelength conversion part including a red wavelength conversion material and formed on a region defined by the flow prevention part to cover the blue light emitting device, so that white light having a high degree of color reproducibility may be emitted thereby.
US08981389B2
An illumination device includes a base, a light-emitting module, a first layer, and a second layer. The light-emitting module is disposed on the base for generating a progressive-type light-emitting intensity. The first layer encapsulates the light-emitting module. The second layer encloses the first layer. The second layer has a progressive-type thickness corresponding to the progressive-type light-emitting intensity, and both the progressive-type light-emitting intensity and the progressive-type thickness are decreased or increased gradually, thus the progressive-type light-emitting intensity can be transformed into the same light-emitting intensity through the progressive-type thickness of the second layer.
US08981373B1
A white LED is provided. The white LED includes a P-type layer, a tunneling structure, an N-type layer, an N-type electrode, and a P-type electrode. The tunneling structure is disposed over the P-type layer. The tunneling structure includes a first barrier layer, an active layer and a second barrier layer. The first barrier layer includes a first metal oxide layer. The active layer includes a second metal oxide layer. The second barrier layer includes a third metal oxide layer. The N-type layer is disposed over the tunneling structure. The N-type electrode and the P-type electrode are respectively contacted with the N-type layer and the P-type layer. An energy gap of the second metal oxide layer is lower than an energy gap of the first metal oxide layer and is lower than an energy gap of the third metal oxide layer.
US08981368B2
A thin film transistor includes: a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode; an oxide semiconductor layer provided on one side of the gate electrode with an insulating film in between, the oxide semiconductor layer being provided in a region not facing the source electrode and the drain electrode and being electrically connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode; and a low resistance oxide layer provided in a region facing the source electrode and in a region facing the drain electrode, the regions being adjacent to the oxide semiconductor layer, and the low resistance oxide layer having an electric resistivity lower than an electric resistivity of the oxide semiconductor layer.
US08981367B2
A semiconductor device includes a first transistor which includes a first gate electrode below its oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode above its oxide semiconductor layer, and a second transistor which includes a first gate electrode above its oxide semiconductor layer and a second gate electrode below its oxide semiconductor layer and is provided so as to at least partly overlap with the first transistor. In the semiconductor device, a conductive film serving as the second gate electrode of the first transistor and the second gate electrode of the second transistor is shared between the first transistor and the second transistor. Note that the second gate electrode not only controls the threshold voltages (Vth) of the first transistor and the second transistor but also has an effect of reducing interference of an electric field applied from respective first gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor.
US08981355B2
Provided is a light-emitting element with high external quantum efficiency and a low drive voltage. The light-emitting element includes a light-emitting layer which contains a phosphorescent compound and a material exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence between a pair of electrodes, wherein a peak of a fluorescence spectrum and/or a peak of a phosphorescence spectrum of the material exhibiting thermally activated delayed fluorescence overlap(s) with a lowest-energy-side absorption band in an absorption spectrum of the phosphorescent compound, and wherein the phosphorescent compound exhibits phosphorescence in the light-emitting layer by voltage application between the pair of electrodes.
US08981344B2
A field-effect transistor is provided and includes source, gate and drain regions, where the gate region controls charge carrier location in the transport channel, the transport channel includes a asymmetric coupled quantum well layer, the asymmetric quantum well layer includes at least two quantum wells separated by a barrier layer having a greater energy gap than the wells, the transport channel is connected to the source region at one end, and the drain regions at the other, the drain regions include at least two contacts electrically isolated from each other, the contacts are connected to at least one quantum well. The drain may include two regions that are configured to form the asymmetric coupled well transport channel. In an embodiment, two sources and two drains are also envisioned.
US08981338B2
A semiconductor photocathode includes an AlXGa1-XN layer (0≦X<1) bonded to a glass substrate via an SiO2 layer and an alkali-metal-containing layer formed on the AlXGa1-XN layer. The AlXGa1-XN layer includes a first region, a second region, an intermediate region between the first and second regions. The second region has a semiconductor superlattice structure formed by laminating a barrier layer and a well layer alternately, the intermediate region has a semiconductor superlattice structure formed by laminating a barrier layer and a well layer alternately. When a pair of adjacent barrier and well layers is defined as a unit section, an average value of a composition ratio X of Al in a unit section decreases monotonously with distance from an interface position between the second region and the SiO2 layer at least in the intermediate region.
US08981329B1
Embodiments of the invention include a nonvolatile memory device that contains nonvolatile resistive random access memory device with improved device performance and lifetime. In some embodiments, nonvolatile resistive random access memory device includes a diode, a metal silicon nitride embedded resistor, and a resistive switching layer disposed between a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. In some embodiments, the method of forming a resistive random access memory device includes forming a diode, forming a metal silicon nitride embedded resistor, forming a first electrode layer, forming a second electrode layer, and forming a resistive switching layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.
US08981323B2
A charged particle beam apparatus for processing an object using a charged particle beam includes a charged particle lens in which an array of apertures, through each of which a charged particle beam passes, is formed; a vacuum container which contains the charged particle lens; and a radiation source configured to generate an ionizing radiation; wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the radiation source to pass the ionizing radiation through the array of apertures in a state in which a pressure in the vacuum container is changing.
US08981319B2
A system for measuring intensity distribution of light includes a carbon nanotube array located on a surface of a substrate, a reflector and an imaging element. The carbon nanotube array absorbs photons of a light source and radiates a visible light. The reflector is used to reflect the visible light, and the reflector is spaced from the carbon nanotube array. The carbon nanotube array is located between the reflector and the substrate. The imaging element is used to image the visible light. The imaging element is spaced from the substrate.
US08981308B2
A method for measuring a dose related to the non-ionizing effects of a radiation of particles comprises the irradiation of a capacitive element provided with an electrode made from a semiconductor material, the measurement of the capacitance of the capacitive element in an accumulation regime and the determination of the dose related to the non-ionizing effects from the measurement of capacitance of the capacitive element in the accumulation regime.
US08981307B2
With a pulse-height analyzer, a reference-pulse generator generates a reference pulse of a given pulse height for a given period of time when an analog radiation pulse inputted to a comparator is higher than an initial threshold. A capacitor and a resistor receive the reference pulse, and then increase an increment threshold for the given period of time from the initial threshold to the given pulse height. Then the increment threshold is set as a reference voltage of the comparator. A pulse time width of the analog radiation pulse is determined through measuring a period of time from timing where the analog radiation pulse exceeds the initial threshold to timing where the analog radiation pulse being attenuated falls below the increment threshold.
US08981304B2
The present invention provides a radiation detector including: a wavelength conversion unit that converts irradiated radiation to a radiation with a second wavelength; a first substrate that has a first and a second surface; radiation detecting pixels, disposed in a matrix on the first surface, that accumulate charges generated by irradiation of the radiation with the second wavelength, and that include switching elements to read out the charges; scan lines, provided on the first surface, through which a control signal, that switches each switching element provided in each radiation detecting pixel, flows; signal lines, provided on the first surface, through which an electric signal flows, the electric signal corresponding to the charges accumulated in each radiation detecting pixel; and a second substrate, provided on the second surface, that includes radiation irradiation detecting sensors that generate charges due to irradiation of the radiation having the second wavelength.
US08981297B2
A coordinate measuring device includes a carrier that can be rotated automatically about two axes and that can be directed toward a measuring aid. The following are arranged on the carrier so as to be able to move together: an optical distance measuring device for measuring the distance to the measuring aid; a light source for emitting light, directly or by means of optical elements, wherein said light is visible as a target point when reflected on the measuring aid; a target detecting unit for determining a position as the position of the imaging of the target point on a position detection sensor. The control apparatus is designed to direct the carrier at the measuring aid by rotating the carrier about the at least two axes of the carrier according to the fine position and the rough position; and the light source is a superluminescent diode (SLED).
US08981269B2
A cooker is provided. According to an operation of the cooker, light having color different from each other is emitted into a cooking chamber according to whether it is in a cooking mode for cooking a food or a keep-warm mode for keeping the food warm. Thus, a user may easily confirm whether the food is cooked or kept warm. In addition, the food may be kept warm through a further simple structure.
US08981263B2
Disclosed is an electrostatic chuck apparatus which is configured of: an electrostatic chuck section; an annular focus ring section provided to surround the electrostatic chuck section; and a cooling base section which cools the electrostatic chuck section and the focus ring section. The focus ring section is provided with an annular focus ring, an annular heat conducting sheet, an annular ceramic ring, a nonmagnetic heater, and an electrode section that supplies power to the heater.
US08981253B2
A nozzle for a plasma arc cutting torch includes a substantially hollow, elongated body capable of receiving an electrode. The nozzle body defines a longitudinal axis and has a length along the axis from a first end of the nozzle body to a second end of the nozzle body. The nozzle also includes a plasma exit orifice disposed at the first end of the body. The first end of the nozzle body has a width and a ratio of the length of the nozzle body to the width of the nozzle body is greater than about 3.
US08981251B2
An atmospheric pressure plasma source includes a body including a distal end, a blade extending from the distal end and terminating at a blade edge, a plasma-generating unit, and a plasma outlet communicating with the plasma-generating unit and positioned at the distal end. The plasma outlet is oriented at a downward angle generally toward the blade edge, wherein the plasma outlet provides a plasma path directed generally toward the blade edge. The plasma may be applied to the coating at an interface between the coating and an underlying substrate. While applying the plasma, the blade is moved into contact with the coating at the interface, wherein the blade assists in separating the coating from the substrate while one or more components of the coating react with energetic species of the plasma.
US08981245B2
A switching subassembly includes a modular molded interconnect bracket and a switching device arranged on the modular molded interconnect bracket. The modular molded interconnect includes at least one electronic circuit trace arranged thereon configured to interconnect a portion of a flexible printed circuit board and to support a portion of the flexible printed circuit board. The switching device is configured to contact portions of the at least one electronic circuit trace.
US08981244B2
The present invention relates to a forward/backward rotation switching mechanism, comprising: a cover, a turntable, a terminal-fixing body, a first contact terminal, and a second contact terminal. In the present invention, a plurality of dust-off trenches are especially formed on the peripheral edges of the turntable for preventing from the dust accumulation between the turntable and a cover; therefore, even if the forward/backward rotation switching mechanism is used in an environment having a lot of dust, the turntable can still be turned around because the dust is ruled out by the dust-off trenches.
US08981241B2
A cable holding structure includes a plate-shaped member having an opening, and a conductive wire holding portion holding a plurality of wires inserted therethrough, the wire holding portion being disposed in the opening and electrically connected to a braided shield that collectively covers the plurality of wires. The wire holding portion protrudes from the opening of the plate-shaped member and includes a plurality of through-holes extending in a direction orthogonal to the plate-shaped member. The plurality of wires are each enclosed in the through-holes. The braided shield is electrically connected to an outer surface of the wire holding portion protruding from the opening.
US08981238B2
An electronic device includes a base body, which has a top side and also an underside lying opposite the top side. The base body has connection locations at its underside. An electronic component is arranged at the base body at the top side of the base body. The base body has at least one side area having at least one point of inspection having a first region and second region. The second region is embodied as an indentation in the first region. The first and the second region contain different materials.
US08981230B2
A touch cover including a substrate, a sensing circuit and a grounding circuit is provided. The substrate has an inner plane and an inner side surface extending from the inner plane. The inner plane and the inner side surface are not coplanar. The sensing circuit is disposed on the inner plane. At least a portion of the grounding circuit is disposed on the inner side surface. An electronic apparatus with the touch cover and a fabricating method of the touch cover are also provided.
US08981229B2
A cable sealing device for sealing a cable passing through a first and second surface is provided. In one embodiment, the cable sealing device can include a first sealing element extending in a first radial direction of the cable and configured to surround at least a portion of the cable and to seal an opening in the first surface, and a second sealing element extending in a second radial direction of the cable and configured to surround at least a portion of the cable and to seal an opening in the second surface. The extension of the first sealing element in the first radial direction is smaller than the extension of the second sealing element in the second radial direction.
US08981220B2
According to the invention, a system for interconnecting communication cables is disclosed. The system may include an input cable, an output cable, and a cable adapter. The input cable may include a plurality of input wires, each of the plurality of input wires communicatively connected to an input port. The output cable may include a plurality of output wires, each of the plurality of output wires communicatively connected to an output port, The cable adapter may be for communicatively interconnecting the input cable and the output cable. The cable adapter may include a container, a lid and a plurality of attachment mechanisms. The lid may be movably attached to the container. The plurality of attachment mechanisms may be located in the container, each of the plurality of attachment mechanisms capable of communicatively and reversibly connecting one of the plurality of input wires with one of the plurality of output wires.
US08981216B2
A cable assembly includes elongated conductors, primary dielectric layers, a secondary dielectric layer, a conductive shield layer and a drain wire. The conductors communicate a signal. The primary dielectric layer is circumferentially disposed around each of the conductors. The secondary dielectric layer surrounds the primary dielectric layers. The conductive shield layer is disposed around the secondary dielectric layer. The drain wire is provided along an outer surface of the conductive shield layer and is electrically coupled with the conductive shield layer. The conductive shield layer communicates electromagnetic interference to an electric ground reference via the drain wire.
US08981203B2
A thin film solar cell module includes a substrate, at least one first cell positioned in a central area of the substrate, and at least one second cell positioned in an edge area of the substrate. Each of the first and second cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and at least one photoelectric conversion unit positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode. An amount of germanium contained in the photoelectric conversion unit of the first cell is less than an amount of germanium contained in the photoelectric conversion unit of the second cell positioned on the same level layer as the photoelectric conversion unit of the first cell.
US08981199B2
A router for a plurality of MIDI transmitters and receivers routes MIDI event data to and from designated ports without a host computer system connected to the router. Since a host computer system is not used, delay times are significantly reduced and many MIDI devices could be coupled to the router without significantly impacting the transmission speeds of the MIDI data. While the router works without a host connected to the router, the router could still function while a host computer is connected, which is useful when a host computer is used to send MIDI event data or record MIDI event data.
US08981198B2
A stringed instrument includes a body, a string, a string exciting device and a bridge. The body supports the string, the string exciting device and the bridge. The string has a scale length determined by a distance between a first support point and a second support point. The string exciting device is designed to be driven by an electrical signal having a certain frequency and vibrate the string by applying an excitation signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the electrical signal. The bridge has the first support point and a surface located between the first support point and the second support point and designed to come into contact with the string during vibration of the string.
US08981191B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV856723. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV856723, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV856723 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV856723 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV856723.
US08981177B2
A disposable article adapted to receive bodily exudates which provides improved management of such bodily exudates by including an effective amount of one or more agents which act to modify the physical properties of feces or other bodily wastes which may be deposited in the article, or by including one or more compositions such as the aforesaid one or more agents which enhance the removability of bodily waste, such as feces, from the skin of the article's wearer.
US08981174B2
Methods and systems for processing crude oil comprise adding water to the crude oil to produce an emulsion comprising brine and oil and solids; separating oil from brine including producing brine comprising a rag layer; separating the rag layer into a hydrocarbon emulsion having finer solids and brine comprising larger solids; and passing the hydrocarbon emulsion along a cross-flow filter to produce a retentate comprising brine and solids and a permeate comprising hydrocarbon.
US08981173B2
The present invention is the use of a catalyst in a MTO process to convert an alcohol or an ether into light olefins wherein said catalyst comprises a phosphorus modified zeolite and is made by a method comprising the following steps in this order, a) the essential portion of the phosphorus is introduced into a zeolite comprising at least one ten members ring in the structure, b) the phosphorus modified zeolite of step a) is mixed with at least a component selected among one or more binders, salts of alkali-earth metals, salts of rare-earth metals, clays and shaping additives, b)* making a catalyst body from mixture b), c) an optional drying step or an optional drying step followed by a washing step, d) a calcination step, d*) an optional washing step followed by drying, e) optionally a small portion of phosphorus is introduced in the course of step b) or b)* or at end of step b) or b)*.
US08981171B2
The proposed process uses crystallization technology to purify paraxylene simultaneously of large concentrations of C8 aromatics and also small concentrations of oxygenated species.
US08981166B2
An improved process for extracting fusel alcohols and/or fusel alcohol esters from an ethanol fermentation product involves adding to the fermentation product an extractant solvent selected from amyl alcohols, amyl acetates, and mixtures thereof to produce a two-phase system including a water and alcohol phase, and an immiscible second phase comprised of amyl alcohols, amyl acetates or a mixture thereof. Thereafter, the first and second phases can be separated to obtain a first phase depleted of fusel alcohols and/or esters of fusel alcohols and a second phase containing fusel alcohols and/or esters of fusel alcohols extracted from the first phase.
US08981165B2
A process for producing alcohols having three carbon atoms from carbonaceous materials such as biomass. The carbonaceous material, such as biomass, is gasified to produce synthesis gas. The synthesis gas then is subjected to a plurality of reactions to produce alcohols such as n-propanol and isopropanol.
US08981156B2
This invention relates to methods, which provide access to [F-18]fluoropegylated (aryl/heteroaryl vinyl)-phenyl methyl amine derivatives.
US08981150B2
Novel ether-amide compounds are described. Uses of the compounds, in particular as solvents, for example in phytosanitary formulations are also described.
US08981147B2
The present invention provides a novel ligand represented by the following formula and a novel transition metal complex having the ligand, which shows superior enantioselectivity and catalytic efficiency, particularly high catalyst activity, in various asymmetric synthesis reactions.A transition metal complex having, as a ligand, a compound represented by the formula wherein R4 is a hydrogen atom or a C1-6 alkyl group optionally having substituent(s), and R5 and R6 are each a C1-6 alkyl group optionally having substituent(s), or the formula is a group represented by the formula wherein ring B is a 3- to 8-membered ring optionally having substituent(s).
US08981141B1
The present invention relates to I- and II-type crystals of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline, and to a method for preparing same. More particularly, the present invention relates to noble I- and II-type anhydride crystals of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline, which have a higher purity than conventional liquid L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline, and one advantage of which is that formulations and dosages of pharmaceuticals are easily modified, and another advantage of which is that the hygroscopicity of the crystals are much lower than that of conventional polymorphic crystals, providing excellent stability during storage. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the I- and II-type crystals of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline. The I-type crystal of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline is characterized by having an onset temperature of 147° C. and an absorption peak of 150° C. based on differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis, and by having diffraction patterns where 2θ-diffraction angles are 9.8±0.2°, 12.0±0.2°, 14.3±0.2°, 15.8±0.2°, and 19.6±0.2° based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The II-type crystal of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline is characterized by having an onset temperature of 62° C. and an absorption peak of 66° C., and an onset temperature of 141° C. and an absorption peak of 145° C. based on DSC analysis, and having diffraction patterns where 2θ-diffraction angles are 10.3±0.2°, 12.2±0.2°, 13.4±0.2°, 14.8±0.2°, and 20.6±0.2° based on XRD analysis.
US08981136B2
The invention relates to a process for making esters, in particular biodiesel, using heterogeneous catalysts. The invention provides a process for making biodiesel, in particular FAME, which process is versatile and robust. The process of the invention can be carried out continuously, in particular in a fixed bed reactor or a slurry reactor and may be operated in a continuous fashion. In accordance with the invention, the transesterification reaction of triglycerides is carried out using a heterogeneous catalyst that comprises a Group 4 silicate and less than 3 wt. % Na in the presence of at least one acid compound.
US08981132B2
A pretreated titanium silicalite with MFI structure (TS-1) catalyst which has been pretreated with methanol, and then optionally filtered and optionally air-dried to form a pretreated activated TS-1 catalyst. The activated TS-1 may be used in an epoxidation reaction with no additional methanol added and has equivalent activity to TS-1 used with large excesses of methanol. By removing the need for additional methanol during the reaction, the losses of epichlorohydrin from solvolysis are minimized significantly.
US08981131B2
The present invention provides compounds represented by formula I: wherein, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13 and X are as defined in the specification, in all its stereoisomeric and tautomeric forms and mixtures thereof in all ratios, and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, pharmaceutically acceptable polymorphs and prodrugs. These compounds are useful for treatment of inflammatory disorders including those caused by elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α and/or interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8). The invention also relates to processes for the manufacture of compounds of formula 1 and pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US08981124B2
Process for the manufacture of a cyclic diester of an alpha-hydroxyacid comprising heating the alpha-hydroxyacid at a temperature from 100 to 250° C. in the presence of at least one polyol and of at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting carboxylates and alkoxides of Ti, Zr, Al and Sn.
US08981116B2
A process for the manufacture of an ester or the respective free acid of a 1-substituted-3-fluoroalkyl-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid of formula (I), wherein in such formula (I), Y is H, F or an alkyl group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms which is optionally substituted by at least one halogen atom, an aralkyl group or an aryl group; R1 is H or an organic residue; R2 is H or an organic residue. Such process comprises submitting a compound of formula (II) to a reduction reaction, wherein in such formula (II), Y is the same as defined for formula (I); X is Cl, Br or I; R1′ is H or an organic residue; and R2′ is H or an organic residue.
US08981105B2
A process of preparation of a compound of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1 and R2 represent H; or either R1 represents ethyl and R2 represents n-hexyloxycarbonyl that applies to industrial scale, novel intermediates useful for the preparation thereof, and processes of preparing said intermediates.
US08981098B2
The oxazolidine derived from the reaction of oxymorphone with the Burgess reagent, temporarily protected at O-3 and C-6, reacts with Grignard or other suitable metallic or organometallic reagents to directly provide, for example, A/-allyl, A/-methylcyclopropyl and /V-methylcyclobutyl derivatives that are further converted into naltrexone, naloxone, nalbuphone and nalbuphine in excellent yields. These morphine analogs can be prepared from the oxazolidine in a one-pot synthesis.
US08981097B2
There is provided an efficient industrial process for the preparation of 21-cyclopropyl-7α-(2-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-butyl)-6,14-endo-ethano-6,7,8,14-tetrahydro-oripavine, i.e. buprenorphine of Formula-I in high yield and purity, with enhanced safety and eco-friendly norms. The invention further relates to an improved process for preparation of intermediates thereof in high yield and purity.
US08981093B2
Process for preparing piperazine of the formula I by reacting diethanolamine (DEOA) of the formula II with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen and a supported, metal-containing catalyst has been found, wherein the catalytically active mass of the catalyst, prior to its reduction with hydrogen, comprises oxygen-containing compounds of aluminum, copper, nickel and cobalt and in the range from 0.2 to 5.0% by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of tin, calculated as SnO, and the reaction is carried out in the liquid phase at an absolute pressure in the range from 160 to 220 bar, a temperature in the range from 180 to 220° C., using ammonia in a molar ratio to DEOA used of from 5 to 25 and in the presence of 0.2 to 9.0% by weight of hydrogen, based on the total amount of DEOA used and ammonia.
US08981092B2
Compounds which are 4,7-disubstituted derivatives of 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazin-1-one compounds, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, their preparation process and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are disclosed; these compounds are useful in the treatment of diseases caused by and/or associated with an altered protein kinase activity such as cancer, viral infection, prevention of AIDS development in HIV-infected individuals, cell proliferative disorders, autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders; also disclosed is a process under Solid Phase Synthesis conditions for preparing the compounds of the invention and chemical libraries comprising a plurality of them.
US08981075B2
The present invention provides an aptamer that binds to prostate-specific antigen (PSA), the aptamer including: a preceding region having a random polynucleotide sequence consisting of from 1 to 10 nucleotides; a first region, at a 3′ end of the preceding region, consisting of nnnnCT wherein each n is independently selected from A, T, G and C; a second region consisting of nnCTTT wherein each n is independently selected from A, T, G and C, and at least one part of the second region is complementary to the first region; and a third region positioned between the first region and the second region and consisting of a random polynucleotide sequence having from 3 to 30 nucleotides.
US08981071B2
This invention provides antibodies that interact with or bind to human B7 related protein-1 (B7RP1) and antibodies that bind to and neutralize the function of B7RP1 thereby. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions of said antibodies and methods for neutralizing B7RP1 function, and particularly for treating immune disorders (e.g., inappropriate immune response) by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of anti-B7RP1 antibodies. Methods of detecting the amount of B7RP1 in a sample using anti-B7RP1 antibodies are also provided.
US08981068B2
The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for evaluating nucleic acids, methods of preparing such compositions, and applications and business methods employing such compositions and methods. In particular, the present invention provides business methods for operating a gene expression measurement service.
US08981059B2
A platelet aggregation inducing substance containing as an active ingredient a polypeptide having a peptide fragment represented by formula (1) (component A): -(Pro-X-Gly)n- (1) wherein X represents Pro or Hyp; and n represents an integer of from 20 to 5,000.
US08981054B2
The present invention relates to a method of treating a transient impairment of the motility of the gastrointestinal system resulting from postoperative ileus in a patient wherein said method includes the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of a peptidyl analog of ghrelin to said patient.
US08981053B2
The present invention provides a synthetic peptide molecule that specifically binds an FXYD2-gamma isoform of pancreatic beta cells, said synthetic peptide molecule has 25 amino acids.
US08981045B2
Provided are compositions comprising newly identified protein fragments of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, polynucleotides that encode them and complements thereof, related agents, and methods of use thereof in diagnostic, drug discovery, research, and therapeutic applications.
US08981040B2
Provided is a cationically polymerizable resin which is rapidly cured upon irradiation with light and forms a cured product excellent in flexibility and thermal stability. The cationically polymerizable resin is obtained through radical polymerization of an oxetane-ring-containing (meth)acryloyl compound represented by following Formula (1) alone or in combination with another radically polymerizable compound. In the formula, R1 represents hydrogen atom or methyl group; R2 represents hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and “A” represents a linear or branched chain alkylene group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms.
US08981030B2
The invention relates to alkoxysilane groups comprising prepolymers and the use thereof as binding agents for sealants. More specifically the invention relates to alkoxysilyl polyurethanes prepared from a polyol having a number-average molecular weight of from greater than 20,000 to 30,000 and an isocyanate alkoxysilane.
US08981027B2
Two part cyanoacrylate/cationically curable adhesive systems are provided.
US08981015B2
A poly(siloxane) copolymer composition comprising: a first polymer comprising a first repeating unit, and a poly(siloxane) block unit, a second polymer different from the first polymer and comprising of bromine; and optionally, one or more third polymers different from the first polymer and second polymer; wherein siloxane units are present in the composition in an amount of at least 0.3 wt %, and bromine is present in the composition in an amount of at least 7.8 wt %, each based on the sum of the wt % of the first, second, and optional one or more third polymers; and further wherein an article molded from the composition has an OSU integrated 2 minute heat release test value of less than 65 kW-min/m2 and a peak heat release rate of less than 65 kW/m2, and an E662 smoke test Dmax value of less than 200.
US08980995B2
The present invention comprises a hybrid latex polymer composition with one or more hydrophobic compound which is a solid or has a 50% distillation temperature of at least 200° C. and one or more matrix polymer, wherein the hydrophobic compound is entrapped in the structure of the matrix polymer. Further, the invention is a method of improving resistance to water staining and color rub-off in latex paints by including a hybrid latex polymer.
US08980994B2
The present invention relates to elastic film formulations that have surprisingly high tensile strengths in addition to good viscosity stability and are based on a blend of two styrene block copolymers, namely, styrene-isoprene/butadiene-styrene and styrene-butadiene-styrene. The blend of these two styrenic block copolymers in the range set forth and described herein yield high tensile strength that is at least 50% higher than that of the prior art based styrenic block copolymers and have good viscosity stability. Moreover, the present invention relates to a blend of two different styrene block copolymers that can be made by dry blending the block copolymer components. Then the blend can be extruded into uncross-linked film, fiber, or plurality of fibers.
US08980991B2
Exemplary embodiments provide intermediate transfer members that can be used in electrostatographic devices and methods for using them in forming an image. The disclosed intermediate transfer members can include a plurality of nanotubes with high electrical conductivity, high thermal conductivity, and/or low humidity sensitivity. The hydrophobicity of the nanotubes can be controlled by covalently grafting hydrophobic components onto one or more nanotubes; surface treating one or more nanotubes; and encapsulating one or more nanotubes with hydrophobic components. In an exemplary embodiment, the nanotubes can be dispersed in polymer matrices and/or formed on the surface of polymer matrices of the intermediate transfer members. The intermediate transfer members can take various forms of belts, sheets, webs, films, rolls, tubes or any shape that can provide a smooth surface and rotatable function.
US08980989B2
The present invention provides a rubber composition containing: (A) a rubber component containing 10% by mass or more of at least one kind of rubber selected from diene rubber synthesized by emulsion polymerization and natural rubber and 90% by mass or less of another kind of diene rubber; (B) silica having a n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) adsorption specific surface area of less than 140 m2/g measured according to a method described in ASTM D3765-92; (C) at least one silane coupling agent selected from a polysulfide compound and a thioester compound; and (D) a vulcanization accelerator, the rubber composition after vulcanization having an average aggregated aggregate area (nm2) of the silica of 3,300 or less, and thus provides a rubber composition that is improved in low-heat-generation property.
US08980987B2
This invention relates to a method for producing a modified conjugated diene rubber wherein the method involves: (a) a step in which a conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal active end and obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene compound or by polymerizing a conjugated diene compound with an aromatic vinyl compounds is reacted with a first alkoxysilane compound which has an alkoxysilyl group having two or more alkoxy groups and has a group protected by a protecting group wherein deprotection is possible to obtain a modified conjugated-diene polymer having an alkoxysilyl group; and (b) a step in which the modified conjugated-diene polymer is reacted with a second alkoxysilane compound which has an alkoxysilyl group.
US08980973B2
The invention relates to a composition for taking dental impressions, the composition comprising a siloxane component (A) comprising terminal vinyl groups, a siloxane component (B) comprising Si—H groups, a catalyst (C) being able to catalyze a curing reaction between components (A) and (B) and a silicone oil (D), wherein the silicone oil has a viscosity at 23 DEG C of at least about 600,000 mPa*s and is present in an amount from about 1 to about 20 wt.% with respect to the weight of the whole composition. The invention also relates to a method of producing such a composition and a method for adjusting the Shore hardness A of a composition.
US08980969B2
Addition-fragmentation agents of the formula are disclosed having the following functional groups: 1) a labile addition-fragmentation group that can cleave and reform to relieve strain, 2) a free-radically polymerizable group, and 3) a surface-modifying functional group that associates with the surface of a substrate.
US08980965B2
To provide a method for producing a low-odor polyester-type flexible polyurethane foam which is excellent in formability and free from scorch in the interior of the foam, and further discharges substantially no volatile amine compound from a product, in the production of a polyester-type flexible polyurethane foam, and to provide a catalyst composition to be used for the production method.A polyester-type flexible polyurethane foam is produced by a process which comprises reacting a polyester polyol with a polyisocyanate, in the presence of a catalyst composition containing one or more amine compounds selected from the group consisting of an amine compound represented by the following formula (1): in the above formula (1), R1 is a C1-6 linear or branched alkyl group, and each of R2, R3, R4 and R5 which are independent of one another, is a hydrogen atom or a C1-2 alkyl group, an amine compound represented by the following formula (2): in the above formula (2), R6 is a C2-6 linear or branched alkylene group, and an amine compound represented by the following formula (3): in the above formula (3), each of R7 and R8 which are independent of each other, is a C1-4 alkyl group, and R9 is a C3-5 linear or branched alkylene group; a blowing agent; and a surfactant.
US08980946B2
The invention generally relates to methods of treating an overweight or obese subject, and treating overweight- or obesity-related conditions using non-daily administration of e.g., a MetAP-2 inhibitor.
US08980942B2
Described herein are Δ9-THC prodrugs, methods of making Δ9-THC prodrugs, formulations comprising Δ9-THC prodrugs and methods of using Δ9-THC. One embodiment described herein relates to the transdermal administration of a Δ9-THC prodrug for treating and preventing diseases and/or disorders.
US08980940B2
A composition comprising a high purity cannabinoid, an acid, and a pharmaceutically-acceptable solvent achieves room temperature stability for over 24 months. The acid improves the stability of the composition and the solvent enhances the solubility of the acid, thereby allowing the acid to have an improved stabilizing effect on the highly pure cannabinoid. Preferably, the solvent is an alcohol and, more preferably, the composition contains an oil. A method for making the composition includes combining the cannabinoid and the solvent and evaporating a portion of the solvent, along with adding an acid to the composition, before, during, or after the evaporating step. A method for making and storing the composition includes storing the composition in a manner adapted to maintain its stability. Pharmaceutical dosage forms include a formulated composition, such as having the oil. A method of treating a subject comprises administering to the subject the dosage form.
US08980931B1
Disclosed is a method of evaluating stability of a pharmaceutical preparation containing luliconazole. The method includes measuring an amount of production of an SE form of luliconazole represented by following formula (2), an amount of production of a Z form of luliconazole represented by following formula (3) and an amount of production of an amide form of luliconazole represented by following formula (1) after storage under a severe condition or an accelerated condition, and judging that the stability of the pharmaceutical preparation is high if each of the amount of production of the SE form, the amount of production of the Z form and the amount of production of the amide form is not more than 5% by weight with respect to a compounded amount of luliconazole.
US08980927B2
Compounds of general formula (II) wherein W is chloro or fluoro; R1 is phenyl optionally substituted with one or more substituents, selected from halo, —CN, —C1-C6 alkyl, —SOR3, —SO2R3, —SO2N(R2)2, —N(R2)2, —NR2C(O)R3, —CO2R2, —CONR2R3, —NO2, —OR2, —SR2, —O(CH2)pOR2, or —O(CH2)pO(CH2)qOR2 wherein each R2 is independently hydrogen, —C1-C6 alkyl, —C3-C8 cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; each R3 is independently, —C1-C6 alkyl, —C3-C8 cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; p and q are each independently an integer from 1 to 3; and R4 is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkyl substituted with aryl, aryl, (CH2)mOC(═O)C1-C6alkyl, ((CH2)mO)nCH2CH2X, (CH2)mN(R5)2 or CH((CH2)mO(C═O)R6)2; m is 1 or 2; n is 1-4; X is OR5 or N(R5)2; R5 is hydrogen or methyl; and R6 is C1-C18 alkyl; and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, solvates, complexes or prodrugs are useful in orally administrable compositions for the treatment of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis.
US08980926B2
The present invention relates to methods of treating a subject with malaria comprising administering a 2-aminoindole compound represented by Formula: (I)—The values and preferred values of the variables in Structural Formula I are defined herein.
US08980914B2
This therapeutic agent for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comprises, an active ingredient, at least one of a 7-aminoquinolinone derivative represented by the general formula (I): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R2 and R3 each represents a group selected from a hydrogen atom, an acyl group, an alkyl group and an alkenyl group; and R4 and R5 each represents a group selected from a hydrogen atom, an acyl group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group and an aralkyl group, and its physiologically acceptable salt.
US08980912B2
The present invention provides a cyclic amine compound represented by formula (I) (in formula (I), Cy1 and Cy2 independently represent a C6-10 aryl group or a heterocyclyl group; R1a to R5a independently represent a hydrogen atom or an unsubstituted or substituted C1-6 alkyl group; R10, R11, R20 and R21 independently represent an unsubstituted or substituted C1-6 alkyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted C1-6 alkoxy group, a halogen atom or the like; m, n, p, and r each represent an integer of 0 to 5; and Y represents an oxygen atom or the like) or salt thereof, and an acaricide including the same.
US08980909B2
The disclosure includes hydroxamic compounds of Formula I: (Formula I) wherein Z, L, R1, R2, and R3 are defined herein. Also disclosed is a method for treating a neoplastic disease or an immune disease with these compounds.
US08980905B2
Compounds of the general formula (I) wherein each of m and n is independently 0 or 1; R1 and R2, together with the carbon atom to which they are attached, form a heterocyclic ring comprising one or two heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur, —S(O)— and —S(O)2—; R3 is —CHF2, —CF3, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —SCHF2 or —SCF3; X is a bond, —CH2—, or —NH—; A is aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heterocycloalkyl or heterocycloalkenyl, optionally substituted with one or more, same or different substituents selected from R4; and R4 is hydrogen, amino, thioxo, alkyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, halogen, oxo, thia, or hydroxy; or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates or solvates thereof, have been found to exhibit PDE4 inhibiting activity, and may therefore be useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and disorders.
US08980896B2
The present invention provides formulations which may comprise macrocyclic lactones and at least one spirodioxepinoindole derivative or a spirooxepinoindole derivative for combating parasites in birds and mammals. The invention also provides for an improved method for eradicating, controlling and preventing parasite infestation in birds and mammals.
US08980892B2
A compound of formula (I): wherein A1, A2, A3, A4, G1, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5a, R5b and R6 are as defined in claim 1; or a salt or N-oxide thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to processes and intermediates for preparing compounds of formula (I), to insecticidal, acaricidal, nematicidal and molluscicidal compositions comprising the compounds of formula (I) and to methods of using the compounds of formula (I) to control insect, acarine, nematode and mollusc pests.
US08980890B2
The invention relates to compounds and methods for treating cell proliferation disorders.
US08980885B2
A plant disease controlling composition comprising, as active ingredients, a compound represented by the formula (I), as well as at least one compound A selected from the group consisting of dimoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, a compound represented by the formula (II) and an agrochemically acceptable salt of the compound represented by the formula (II): wherein, R1, Q, X, Y, Z, M and n are as defined in the description.
US08980880B1
A pharmaceutical composition comprising a drug substance consisting essentially of a pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid addition salt of an amine containing pharmaceutically active compound wherein the amine containing pharmaceutical active compound is selected from the group consisting of racemic or single isomer ritalinic acid or phenethylamine derivatives and the drug substance has a physical form selected from amorphous and polymorphic.
US08980878B2
Compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters and compositions thereof, for treating viral infections are provided. The compounds and compositions are useful for treating Pneumovirinae virus infections. The compounds, compositions, and methods provided are particularly useful for the treatment of Human respiratory syncytial virus infections.
US08980877B2
This invention is related to new histone deacetylase inhibitors according to the general formula (I), wherein: m and n are independently zero or an integer from 1 to 4; p is zero or an integer from 1 to 3, with the proviso that when p is zero, n and m cannot be both 1; R is hydrogen; C1-C6 alkyl, optionally substituted by C3-C8 cycloalkyl, C6-C10 aryl or hetero(C2-C9)aryl; (CO)R2; (SO2)R3; C3-C8 cycloalkyl; C6-C10 aryl; or hetero(C2-C9)aryl; R1 is halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy; Y is CH2 or NR4; Z is C═R5; and R2, R3, R4, and R5 are as further defined in the specification; and pharmaceutical acceptable salts thereof.
US08980871B2
Provided herein are methods of treating hemolysis by administering an active compound in an amount sufficient to treat said hemolysis. It has been found that nitroxyl donors or similar compounds preferentially react with cell-free OxyHb, as compared to OxyHb encapsulated in a red blood cell, and reacts with MetHb to form iron-nitrosyl Hb or nitrite bound MetHb. It has also been found that such compounds reduce cell-free Hb and hemolysis. Active compounds are also contemplated for use in combination therapies, for example, in combination with the administration of red blood cells and/or an agent that promotes hematopoiesis, or in combination with the administration of a nitric oxide donor.
US08980869B2
The present invention relates to the use of a 2,5-dihydroxybenzene derivative of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, isomer, or prodrug thereof for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of, inter alia, rosacea.
US08980864B2
The present invention relates to compositions, methods and kits using polynucleotides, primary transcripts and mmRNA molecules.
US08980854B2
The invention inter alia relates to new pharmaceutical compositions comprising miRNAs miR-130a, miR-203 and miR-205, and their use for the treatment of cancer, in particular prostate cancer.
US08980852B2
The present invention provides methods to reduce or inhibit weight gain by administering inhibitors of the SirT1 protein to a subject. Methods to identify such inhibitors are also disclosed.
US08980842B2
The present invention is directed to an active agent with contraceptive properties which corresponds to a peptide fragment of the Latrodectus mirabilisi's venom. The peptide generally includes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 2 or sequences that are at least 85% similar, obtained by chemical synthesis or through recombinant DNA technologies. Furthermore, a pharmaceutical contraceptive composition comprising the peptide fragment and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles is also described. The peptide fragment and pharmaceutical compositions are useful as a contraceptive and spermicide agent.
US08980840B2
The present invention relates to the management of vaginal health. In particular, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of use thereof, for treating diseases associated with compromised boundary lubrication at the vaginal epithelium.
US08980829B2
Disclosed are an aryl glycoside compound as represented by formula I or formula I′, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, optical isomer thereof or a prodrug thereof. The present invention relates to a method of preparing said aryl glycoside compound and the use thereof. The aryl glycoside compound of the present invention has an excellent ability on inhibit SGLT activity, especially SGLT2 activity, and is diabetes-fighting medicine with great potential.
US08980827B2
The present invention provides a medicinal composition containing micafungin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and trehalose as a stabilizing agent.
US08980823B2
A method for treating a subject, such as a human patient, having a vascular disorder. The treatment method administers a therapeutic effective amount of a nanoparticle or a chemical structure to the subject to treat the disorders. The nanoparticle includes a poly L-arginine polymer and a Factor VIIa inhibitor conjugated to, or encapsulated in, the poly L-arginine polymer. The chemical structure includes a Factor VIIa inhibitor that includes at least one nitric oxide (NO) donor. The disorder may be sickle cell disease; stimulated or pathological angiogenesis associated disorders, cancer, ocular angiogenesis-mediated disorders such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, coagulation and/or platelet activation-associated disorders, pulmonary hypertension, or combinations thereof.
US08980821B2
A method for treating a condition in a patient, wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke and peripheral neuropathy. The method consists of administering to the patient a pharmaceutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising the MANF2 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 or a functional fragment thereof.
US08980813B2
A composition for treating a hard surface. The composition has: (a) at least one adhesion promoter; (b) at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of: anionic, non-ionic, cationic, amphoteric, zwitterionic, and combinations thereof; (c) mineral oil; (d) water; (e) optionally, at least one solvent; and wherein the composition is self-adhering upon application to a surface to be treated, and wherein the composition provides a wet film to said surface when water passes over said composition and surface.
US08980811B2
A method of lubricating a wind turbine gearbox comprising using a lubricating composition comprising at least one (i.e. one or a mixture of more than one) perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant which comprises a perfluorooxyalkylene chain, said perfluorooxyalkylene chain comprising recurring units having at least one ether bond and at least one fluorocarbon moiety. A wind turbine gearbox comprising a lubricating system containing said lubricating composition.
US08980810B2
The synthesis of high performance polyvinyl ether (PVE) fluids using a Lewis acid based cationic polymerization process is disclosed. The polyvinyl ether fluid have repeating vinyl ether units of the general formula —[CH2—CH(O—R)]n, wherein R is comprised of a branched or linear alkyl group having at least 4 carbon atoms and n is a whole number representing the average number of repeating units in the polyvinyl ether. The resulting PVE fluids exhibit excellent lubricant properties, similar to poly-alpha olefins (PAOs), but the PVE fluids have the benefit of higher polarity than PAOs and thus have better solubility and dispersity of polar additives.
US08980809B2
The cutting of semiconducting crystals with a wire saw is facilitated with a cutting fluid comprising a polyalkylene glycol neutralized with an un-neutralized or partially neutralized polymeric acid that has a molecular weight of 500 to 1,000,000 and contains more than three acid groups per molecule.
US08980802B2
A chemically-modified mixed fuel includes methane gas from at least two methane-production sources and can be utilized in any process that incorporates a Kellogg Primary Reformer. A method for producing the chemically-modified mixed fuel described herein includes providing a first methane-containing gas from a first methane-production source, providing a second methane-containing gas from a second methane-production source and blending the first methane-containing gas with the second methane-containing gas at a suitable pressure to form a chemically-modified mixed fuel. In some cases, at least one additional methane-containing gas can be provided from at least one additional methane-production source and blended with the chemically-modified fuel.
US08980787B2
There is provided a method for producing a graphite material and a graphite material produced by the method The method includes a kneading step of adding a hydrophobic binding material to a first carbonaceous raw material containing coke powder, followed by heat kneading to obtain a mixture, a pulverizing step of pulverizing the mixture obtained in the kneading step to obtain a second carbonaceous raw material, a granulating step of obtaining a granulated powder using the second carbonaceous raw material obtained in the pulverizing step, a hydrophilic binding material and a solvent, a molding step of subjecting the granulated powder obtained in the granulating step to cold isostatic press molding to obtain a molded body, a burning step of burning the molded body obtained in the molding step to obtain a burnt product, and a graphitizing step of graphitizing the burnt product obtained in the burning step.
US08980783B2
Disclosed is a catalyst for converting nitrogen oxide into ammonia, which is capable of converting nitrogen oxide into ammonia under fuel lean exhaust gas conditions of more than theoretical air-fuel ratio (A/F=14.7), and a method for manufacturing the same. The catalyst according to the present invention comprises a metal oxide support impregnated with a precious metal, such that conversion of nitrogen oxide into ammonia under fuel lean exhaust gas conditions of more than theoretical air-fuel ratio (A/F=14.7) is possible.
US08980782B2
A process for sulfiding a cobalt-molybdenum bulk catalyst precursor to form a bulk sulfided alcohol synthesis catalyst. The process steps include contacting an oxidic bulk cobalt-molybdenum catalyst precursor with an amount of a sulfur-containing compound which is in the range of about 1 to about 10 moles of sulfur per mole of metals, at one or more temperatures at or in excess of about 300° C. in a medium which is substantially devoid of added hydrogen, so as to form a sulfided bulk cobalt-molybdenum catalyst product. Also described are processes for forming the catalyst precursor, processes for producing an alcohol using the catalyst product and the catalyst product itself.
US08980779B2
A method for regenerating an NOx removal catalyst, the method being capable of readily restoring the catalytic activity of a deteriorated NOx removal catalyst; being performed by simple operations; and attaining high operational efficiency. The method for regenerating an NOx removal catalyst 14 employed in a flue gas NOx removal apparatus includes immersing the NOx removal catalyst at ambient temperature in regeneration water 31 containing substantially no chlorine and no cleaning component; removing the catalyst from the regeneration water; and removing water from the catalyst.
US08980772B2
A barrier fabric with a nano-fibrous layer for mechanical retention of organic substances formed by a sandwich structure containing a basic material from unwoven fabric of “spunbond” type with areal weight of 15 to 50 g/m2 to which at least one nano-fibrous layer is arranged, selected from hydrophilic polymer, a hydrophobic polymer, or in the case of double-layer arrangement, a combination of the hydrophilic polymer in one layer and the hydrophobic polymer in the other layer. The nano-fibrous layer is equipped with a protective covering layer, and the individual layers of the sandwich are connected to each other. The nano-fibrous layer has an organic polymer material with areal weight of 0.05 to 0.3 g/m2 and thickness from 90 to 150 nm. The covering layer is selected from an unwoven fabric of “spunbond” type, “meltblown” type, cotton textile and/or a mixture of cotton and polyester.
US08980771B2
A composite material, the composite material comprising at least one prepreg, said prepreg comprising at least one polymeric resin and at least one fibrous reinforcement; and conducting particles dispersed in the polymeric resin.
US08980749B1
A method for polishing a silicon wafer is provided, comprising: providing a silicon wafer; providing a polishing pad having a polishing layer which is the reaction product of raw material ingredients, including: a polyfunctional isocyanate; and, a curative package; wherein the curative package contains an amine initiated polyol curative and a high molecular weight polyol curative; wherein the polishing layer exhibits a density of greater than 0.4 g/cm3; a Shore D hardness of 5 to 40; an elongation to break of 100 to 450%; and, a cut rate of 25 to 150 μm/hr; and, wherein the polishing layer has a polishing surface adapted for polishing the silicon wafer; and, creating dynamic contact between the polishing surface and the silicon wafer.
US08980746B2
To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a method for forming copper filled through silicon via features in a silicon wafer is provided. Through silicon vias are etched in the wafer. An insulation layer is formed within the through silicon vias. A barrier layer is formed within the through silicon vias. An oxide free silicon, germanium, or SiGe adhesion layer is deposited over the barrier layer. A seed layer is deposited over the adhesion layer then the wafers is annealed. The features are filled with copper or copper alloy. The stack is annealed.
US08980742B2
Provided are methods and apparatuses for manufacturing a multilayer metal thin film without additional heat treatment processes. The method of manufacturing a multilayer metal thin film including steps of: (a) forming a first metal layer on a substrate by flowing a first metal precursor into a first reaction container; and (b) forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer by flowing a second metal precursor into a second reaction container, wherein the step (b) is performed in a range of a heat treatment temperature of the first metal layer so that the second metal layer is formed as the first metal layer is heat-treated.
US08980739B2
A method of forming bumps of a semiconductor device with reduced solder bump collapse. The method includes preparing a semiconductor substrate in which pads are exposed externally from a passivation layer; forming a seed layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a photoresist pattern to expose the seed layer on the pads; forming pillars by performing a primary electroplating on a region exposed by the photoresist pattern; forming a solder layer by performing a secondary electroplating on the pillars; removing the photoresist pattern; forming solder bumps, in which solders partially cover surfaces of the pillars, by performing a reflow process on the semiconductor substrate; and removing portions of the seed layer formed in regions other than the solder bumps.
US08980738B2
An electrical connection structure for an integrated circuit chip includes a through via provided in a opening and a laterally adjacent void that are formed in a rear face of a substrate die. A front face of the substrate die includes integrated circuits and a layer incorporating a front electrical interconnect network. The via extends through the substrate die to reach a connection portion of the front electrical interconnect network. An electrical connection pillar made of an electrically conductive material is formed on a rear part of the electrical connection via above the void. A local external protection layer may at least partly cover the electrical connection via and the electrical connection pillar.
US08980734B2
An anti-counterfeiting security circuit is incorporated into an authentic integrated circuit device to induce failure in a counterfeited integrated circuit device by forming the security circuit (e.g., 21, 31, 41, 51) with one or more operatively inert high-k metal gate transistors (e.g., HKMG PMOS 112) having switched or altered work function metal layers (82) where the security circuit defines a first electrical function with the one or more operatively inert high-k metal gate transistors and defines a second different electrical function if the one or more operatively inert high-k metal gate transistors were instead fabricated as operatively functional high-k metal gate transistors of the first polarity type with a work function metal layer of the first polarity type, the security circuit would define a second different electrical function.
US08980733B2
The semiconductor device has a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode which covers an end portion of the semiconductor layer, and an insulating layer for insulating the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode. The film thickness of the insulating layer which insulates a region where an end portion of the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode overlap each other is thicker than the film thickness of the insulating layer which covers the central portion of the semiconductor layer.
US08980732B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a silicon carbide Schottky barrier diode. In the method, an n− epitaxial layer is deposited on an n+ substrate. A sacrificial oxide film is formed on the n− epitaxial layer by heat treatment, and then a portion where a composite oxide film is to be formed is exposed by etching. Nitrogen is implanted into the n− epitaxial layer and the sacrificial oxide film using nitrogen plasma. A silicon nitride is deposited on the n− epitaxial layer and the sacrificial oxide film. The silicon nitride is thermally oxidized to form a composite oxide film. An oxide film in a portion where a Schottky metal is to be deposited is etched, and then the Schottky metal is deposited, thereby forming a silicon carbide Schottky barrier diode.
US08980720B2
An improved eFuse and method of fabrication is disclosed. A cavity is formed in a substrate, which results in a polysilicon line having an increased depth in the area of the fuse, while having a reduced depth in areas outside of the fuse. The increased depth reduces the chance of the polysilicon line entering the fully silicided state. The cavity may be formed with a wet or dry etch.
US08980717B2
An ultra-high voltage n-type-metal-oxide-semiconductor (UHV NMOS) device with improved performance and methods of manufacturing the same are provided. The UHV NMOS includes a substrate of P-type material; a first high-voltage N-well (HVNW) region disposed in a portion of the substrate; a source and bulk p-well (PW) adjacent to one side of the first HVNW region, and the source and bulk PW comprising a source and a bulk; a gate extended from the source and bulk PW to a portion of the first HVNW region, and a drain disposed within another portion of the first HVNW region that is opposite to the gate; a P-Top layer disposed within the first HVNW region, the P-Top layer positioned between the drain and the source and bulk PW; and an n-type implant layer formed on the P-Top layer.
US08980716B2
Transistor devices can be fabricated with an integrated diode using a self-alignment. The device includes a doped semiconductor substrate having one or more electrically insulated gate electrodes formed in trenches in the substrate. One or more body regions are formed in a top portion of the substrate proximate each gate trench. One or more source regions are formed in a self-aligned fashion in a top portion of the body regions proximate each gate trench. One or more thick insulator portions are formed over the gate electrodes on a top surface of the substrate with spaces between adjacent thick insulator portions. A metal is formed on top of the substrate over the thick insulator portions. The metal forms a self-aligned contact to the substrate through the spaces between the thick insulator portions. An integrated diode is formed under the self-aligned contact.
US08980711B2
A system and method for manufacturing a memory device is provided. A preferred embodiment comprises manufacturing a flash memory device with a tunneling layer. The tunneling layer is formed by introducing a bonding agent into the dielectric material to bond with and reduce the number of dangling bonds that would otherwise be present. Further embodiments include initiating the formation of the tunneling layer without the bonding agent and then introducing a bonding agent containing precursor and also include a reduced concentration region formed in the tunneling layer adjacent to a substrate.
US08980707B2
A method for fabricating floating body memory cells (FBCs), and the resultant FBCs where gates favoring different conductivity type regions are used is described. In one embodiment, a p type back gate with a thicker insulation is used with a thinner insulated n type front gate. Processing, which compensates for misalignment, which allows the different oxide and gate materials to be fabricated is described.
US08980706B2
The present disclosure provides a method that includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region, forming first and second gate stacks over the first and second regions, respectively, the first and second gate stacks each including a dummy gate electrode, removing the dummy gate electrodes from the first and second gate stacks, respectively, thereby forming trenches, forming a metal layer to partially fill the trenches, forming an oxide layer over the metal layer filling a remaining portion of the trenches, applying a first treatment to the oxide layer, forming a patterned photoresist layer on the oxide layer overlying the first region, applying a second treatment to the oxide layer overlying the second region, etching the oxide layer overlying the second region, etching the first metal layer overlying the second region, removing the patterned photoresist layer, and removing the oxide layer overlying the first region.
US08980704B1
A manufacturing method of a thin film transistor includes hard-baking and etching processes for a stop layer. Two through holes are exposed and developed in a photoresistor layer, in which a distance between the two through holes is substantially equal to the channel length of the thin film transistor. Further, the etching stop layer is dry-etched to obtain the thin film transistor having an expected channel length.
US08980700B2
A semiconductor device having a semiconductor element (a thin film transistor, a thin film diode, a photoelectric conversion element of silicon PIN junction, or a silicon resistor element) which is light-weight, flexible (bendable), and thin as a whole is provided as well as a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. In the present invention, the element is not formed on a plastic film. Instead, a flat board such as a substrate is used as a form, the space between the substrate (third substrate (17)) and a layer including the element (peeled layer (13)) is filled with coagulant (typically an adhesive) that serves as a second bonding member (16), and the substrate used as a form (third substrate (17)) is peeled off after the adhesive is coagulated to hold the layer including the element (peeled layer (13)) by the coagulated adhesive (second bonding member (16)) alone. In this way, the present invention achieves thinning of the film and reduction in weight.
US08980699B2
Semiconductor devices including a plurality of thyristor-based memory cells, each having a cell size of 4F2, and methods for forming the same are provided. The thyristor-based memory cells each include a thyristor having vertically superposed regions of alternating dopant types, and a control gate. The control gate may be electrically coupled with one or more of the thyristors and may be operably coupled to a voltage source. The thyristor-based memory cells may be formed in an array on a conductive strap, which may function as a cathode or a data line. A system may be formed by integrating the semiconductor devices with one or more memory access devices or conventional logic devices, such as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device.
US08980694B2
Disclosed are a flip-chip carrier having individual pad masks (IPMs) and a fabricating method of a MPS-C2 package utilized from the same. The flip-chip carrier primarily comprises a substrate and a plurality of the IPMs. The substrate has a top surface and a plurality of connecting pads on the top surface. The IPMs cover the corresponding connecting pads in one-on-one alignment where each IPM consists of a photo-sensitive adhesive layer on the corresponding connecting pad and a pick-and-place body pervious to light formed on the photo-sensitive adhesive layer. After the photo-sensitive adhesive layers are irradiated by light penetrating through the pick-and-place bodies, the pick-and-place bodies can be pulled out by a pick-and-place process to expose the connecting pads from an encapsulant. The issues of solder bridging and package warpage can easily be solved in conventional MPS-C2 packages.
US08980690B1
A semiconductor device including a lead frame, a routing substrate disposed within the lead frame, and an active component mounted on the routing substrate. The active component has a plurality of die pads. The routing substrate includes a set of first bond pads, a set of second bond pads, and interconnections, where each interconnection provides an electrical connection between a first bond pad and a corresponding second bond pad. The semiconductor device further includes electrical couplings between one or more of die pads of the active component and corresponding first bond pads of the routing substrate, as well as electrical couplings between leads of the lead frame and respective second bond pads of the routing substrate.
US08980673B2
Provided are a solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing the solar cell includes stacking a solar cell device layer containing GaN on a sacrificial substrate, etching the solar cell device layer to expose the sacrificial substrate, thereby forming one or more solar cell devices comprising the solar cell device layer, anisotropically etching the exposed sacrificial substrate, contacting the solar cell devices to a stamping processor to remove the solar cell devices from the sacrificial substrate, and transferring the solar cell devices onto a receiving substrate. A high temperature semiconductor process may be performed on a substrate such as a silicon substrate to transfer the solar cell devices onto the substrate, thereby manufacturing flexible solar cells. Also, a large number of solar cells may be excellently aligned on a large area. In addition, economical solar cells may be manufactured.
US08980672B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic cell. The method includes forming a structure including a pair of electrodes which are arranged apart from each other, and a hetero-junction type photoelectric conversion layer interposed between the electrodes and containing a p-type semiconductor and a n-type semiconductor, and annealing the photoelectric conversion layer thermally while applying an AC voltage having a frequency of 0.01 kHz or more and less than 1 kHz to control a mixed state of the p-type semiconductor and n-type semiconductor in the photoelectric conversion layer.
US08980667B2
A method for forming a sensor includes forming a base-region barrier in contact with a base substrate. The base-region barrier includes a monocrystalline semiconductor having a same dopant conductivity as the base substrate. An emitter and a collector are formed in contact with and on opposite sides of the base-region barrier to form a bipolar junction transistor. The collector, the emitter and the base-region barrier are planarized to form a level surface opposite the base substrate such that when the level surface is exposed to charge, the charge is measured during operation of the bipolar junction transistor.
US08980664B2
According to one embodiment, a method for fabricating a stacked nitride-compound semiconductor structure includes forming a first protection film on a second surface of a substrate, forming a first nitride-compound semiconductor layer on the first surface of the substrate, forming a second protection film on the first nitride-compound semiconductor layer, removing the first protection film to expose the second surface of the substrate, forming a second nitride-compound semiconductor layer on the second surface of the substrate, and removing the second protection film to expose the first surface of the second nitride-compound semiconductor layer.
US08980650B2
Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) suitable for spin transfer torque memory (STTM) devices, include perpendicular magnetic layers and one or more anisotropy enhancing layer(s) separated from a free magnetic layer by a crystallization barrier layer. In embodiments, an anisotropy enhancing layer improves perpendicular orientation of the free magnetic layer while the crystallization barrier improves tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio with better alignment of crystalline texture of the free magnetic layer with that of a tunneling layer.
US08980647B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a conductive film over a semiconductor substrate; forming a first ferroelectric film over the conductive film; forming an amorphous second ferroelectric film over the first ferroelectric film; forming a transition metal oxide material film containing ruthenium over the second ferroelectric film; forming a first conductive metal oxide film over the transition metal oxide material film without exposing the transition metal oxide material film to the air; annealing and crystallizing the second ferroelectric film; and patterning the first conductive metal oxide film, the first ferroelectric film, the second ferroelectric film, and the conductive film to form a ferroelectric capacitor.
US08980644B2
The invention provides methods of controlling environmental conditions within a fluidic system, where such environmental conditions can affect the operation of the system in its desired function, and fluidic channels, devices, and systems that are used in practicing these methods. Such methods are generally directed to environmental control fluids, the movement of such fluids through these systems, and the interaction of these fluids with other components of the system, e.g., other fluids or solid components of the system.
US08980643B2
Dicationic liquid salts and methods of using such dicationic liquid salts in techniques such as ESI-MS are provided.
US08980641B2
A method of rapidly detecting trace materials including biohazards, toxins, radioactive materials, and narcotics in situ is disclosed. A corresponding apparatus is disclosed. A trace of the material is collected on a pad of the card component, collected by swiping the pad on suspected surface or exposure to the suspected air volume. A novel card component is disclosed that when inserted in a chemical detection unit (CDU), releases reaction chemicals from flexible walled capsules in desired sequence. The exposed pad containing trace material and chemicals are heated in the chemical detection unit to produce a spectral pattern that is analyzed by the optical electronics in the CDU and results are displayed, stored and/or transmitted over a communications network.
US08980626B2
Antibody expression vectors and plasmids can incorporate various antibody gene portions for transcription of the antibody DNA and expression of the antibody in an appropriate host cell. The expression vectors and plasmids have restriction enzyme sites that facilitate ligation of antibody-encoding DNA into the vectors. The vectors incorporate enhancer and promoter sequences that can be varied to interact with transcription factors in the host cell and thereby control transcription of the antibody-encoding DNA. A kit can incorporate these vectors and plasmids.
US08980623B2
A mixing vessel (10) for containing a liquid, comprises a chamber having a lower chamber portion and an upper chamber portion wider than the lower portion, gas inlet means (14) for supplying gas to the lower portion and means for redirecting rising gas (24), such that, in use, rising gas in the form of bubbles, initially rises substantially vertically and is redirected in a substantially horizontal direction by the means for redirecting rising gas.
US08980609B2
An organophosphate scavenger is provided, with extended residence time in the mammalian circulation, which can be used in preventive and therapeutic treatment of organophosphate poisoning. The scavenger is a uniformly pegylated serine hydrolase, in which a part of lysine residues were replaced with other residues by site-directed mutagenesis. One part of lysine residues in the hydrolase amino acid sequence is selected for the PEG-coupling, and the other part for the replacement, wherein the selection should ensure that the hydrolase surface shows at least one free amino acid for PEG coupling for all possible views obtained by rotating a 3-D model generated for the hydrolase.
US08980606B2
The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds.
US08980603B2
Described herein is a variant of wild type Gaussia luciferase that catalyzes glow-type emission kinetics suited for high-throughput functional screening applications. Polypeptides, functional fragments, variants, and nucleic acids that encode the enhanced luciferase are further described. One such polypeptide corresponds to wild type Gaussia luciferase with a substitution mutation of I for M at position 43 of the mature peptide. Methods of use, assay systems and kits that contain the polypeptides and/or nucleic acids are further described.
US08980586B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel compound useful as an antifungal substance and a method for producing the compound. The present invention relates to a compound represented by Formula (I0) or a salt thereof, and a method for producing the compound using a microorganism: wherein R1 is: and R2 is:
US08980581B2
The invention provides certain embodiments relating to methods and compositions for incorporating non-natural amino acids into a polypeptide or protein by utilizing a mutant or modified aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase to charge the non-natural amino acid to a the corresponding tRNA. In certain embodiments, the tRNA is also modified such that the complex forms strict Watson-Crick base-pairing with a codon that normally forms wobble base-pairing with unmodified tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pairs.
US08980570B2
The present invention relates to an antibody which specifically binds to TMAP (tumor associated microtubule associated protein)/CKAP2 (cytoskeleton associated protein 2) or a fragment thereof, and a method for identifying the presence or absence of mitosis and a method for diagnosing cancer prognosis using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a composition for diagnosing cancer prognosis comprising an anti-TMAP/CKAP2 antibody or an antigen-binding site thereof, a method for detecting TMAP/CKAP2 using the composition, an anti-TMAP/CKAP2 antibody for diagnosing cancer prognosis, a method for providing information for diagnosing cancer prognosis using the composition, a method for screening a cancer therapeutic agent comprising the step of determining changes in the level of TMAP/CKAP2 antigen-antibody reaction by the treatment of a candidate substance, and a composition for determining cell-division cycles using the composition.
US08980568B2
The present invention recognizes that diagnosis and prognosis of many conditions can depend on the enrichment of rare cells, especially tumor cells, from a complex fluid sample such as a blood sample. In particular, the present invention is directed to methods and compositions for detecting a non-hematopoietic cell, e.g., a non-hematopoietic tumor cell, in a blood sample via, inter alia, removing red blood cells (RBCs) from a blood sample using a non-centrifugation procedure, removing white blood cells (WBCs) from said blood sample to enrich a non-hematopoietic cell, if any, from said blood sample; and assessing the presence, absence and/or amount of said enriched non-hematopoietic cell.
US08980560B2
This invention provides a method for efficiently detecting DNA methylation. The method for detecting DNA methylation comprises subjecting DNA to bisulfite treatment, subjecting DNA after bisulfite treatment to a first PCR, subjecting the resultant to nested PCR, and subjecting amplified DNA to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.
US08980554B2
A frequent SNP A259G (K87E) genotype switch in the MMP8 gene in has been found to modify the clinical behavior of cancers. The modification varies based on the patient's genotype for the SNP, and whether homozygous or heterozygous. One particular genotype for this SNP leads to more aggressive tumor behavior and worst clinical outcome than the others.
US08980552B2
The invention describes a method of and kits for isolating and/or purifying nucleic acids, more specifically short-chain nucleic acids such as miRNA, from a nucleic acid-containing starting material, characterized by the following method steps of: (a) binding the nucleic acids to a nucleic acid-binding support material by contacting the starting material with said nucleic acid-binding support material in the presence of at least one chaotropic compound, at least two different detergents and at least one branched and/or unbranched alcohol, preferably isopropanol, with the concentration of said alcohol being 40% (v/v); (b) optionally eluting the bound nucleic acids from the nucleic acid-binding support material. The method of the invention is particularly suitable for purifying circulating, extracellular miRNA from blood.
US08980543B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate probe capable of detecting enzyme activity with high accuracy and a method for detecting the enzyme activity by a multi nuclear magnetic resonance method using the substrate probe. Multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance is performed by using a substrate probe, which is used for measuring enzyme activity by a multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance method and characterized by containing a enzyme recognition site that is selectively recognized by an active-state enzyme, as at least one constitutional unit, and a group to which at least three nuclear magnetic resonance active nuclei each having a nuclear spin and a different resonance frequency are connected, being present specifically to the enzyme recognition, thereby detecting presence of the substrate probe and the enzyme activity. Alternatively, imaging of the enzyme activity is performed by a multi-dimensional nuclear resonance imaging method.
US08980532B2
In various embodiments, a method for forming a memory array includes forming a plurality of rows and columns of hardmask material, etching holes in the one or more layers of insulating material using the combined masking properties of the rows of hardmask material and the columns of hardmask material, and forming memory cells in the holes. The corners of the holes can be rounded.
US08980531B2
A transparent component comprises a substrate (1) having an interface surface, with a pattern of electrically conductive copper (2) disposed on the interface surface with of the substrate, wherein the copper has a copper sulfide surface coating (3). It is found that copper with a suitably thin coating layer of copper sulfide has reduced visibility compared with uncoated copper, so that the metal pattern is less distracting to a viewer. The component finds application as part of a touch-sensitive display, with the substrate overlying or forming part of the display, with images on the display being visible to a user through the transparent component.
US08980521B2
The present invention provides a toner excellent in low-temperature fixability and also excellent in heat-resistant storage property, offset resistance, and durability. In a process for producing a toner containing toner particles by emulsion aggregation, each toner particle includes a binder resin of which a main component is a block polymer having a crystal structure, a colorant, and a release agent; the binder resin includes polyester as a main component; the rate of a portion capable of forming a crystal structure to the binder resin is 50 to 80 mass %; a peak temperature Tp of a maximum endothermic peak attributed to the binder resin is 50 to 80° C. in endothermic amount measurement of the toner with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC); and fused particles are heated at a heating temperature t (° C.) satisfying Tp′−15.0≦t≦Tp′−5.0 for at least 0.5 hr.
US08980518B2
The present disclosure provides for a liquid electrophotographic (LEP) ink comprising a carrier fluid, a pigment, a high melt viscosity ethylene acrylic acid copolymer resin, and a high acid ethylene acrylic acid copolymer resin. The high acid ethylene acrylic acid copolymer resin can have an acid content of at least 15 wt % and a viscosity of at least 8,000 poise. Additionally, the LEP ink can have a total resin acidity of at least 15 wt % and a total resin melt viscosity of at least 20,000 poise.
US08980517B2
A toner having good development durability, storage stability, environmental stability, and low-temperature fixability is provided. The toner contains toner particles each including a surface layer that contains an organic silicon polymer. The organic silicon polymer contains a unit having a specific structure. The average thickness Dav. of the surface layers is a specific value and the silicon concentration determined by ESCA is 2.5% or more. The toner has a shape factor SF-2 of 140 or more and 260 or less and an average circularity of 0.970 or more and 0.990 or less.
US08980516B2
An electrostatic charge image development toner contains a plurality of toner particles. The plurality of toner particles are each formed to have resin particulates in a surface layer. The resin particulates each include a particulate core and a coating layer covering the particulate core. The particulate core contains a quaternary ammonium salt functional group-containing resin. The coating layer contains one or more resins selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylic resins and styrene-(meth)acrylic resins.
US08980513B2
A polyester resin is a polycondensate obtained by reacting a divalent alcohol, a divalent carboxylic acid, and a mono- or divalent rosin by the use of a zinc compound as a reaction catalyst.
US08980509B2
An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a charge-transporting layer which is a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member; wherein the charge-transporting layer has a matrix-domain structure having: a matrix comprising a component β and a component γ, and a domain comprising a component α.
US08980507B2
A positively chargeable monolayer electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a photosensitive layer provided on a conductive substrate and having a monolayer structure containing at least a charge generating material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material, and a binder resin. The photosensitive layer contains a hole transport material containing a triarylamine derivative represented by a formula (1) below and an electron transport material containing a compound selected from the group consisting of quinone compounds having a predetermined structure.
US08980490B2
A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell; an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell; an aftercooler cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell, and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell to generate electricity at cold start-up.
US08980488B2
A fuel cell system includes a reforming unit, a carbon-monoxide decreasing unit, a fuel cell, a burner unit, and a raw gas supply device. At a start-up operation of the fuel cell system, an amount of raw gas supplied from the raw has supply device is adjusted according to an amount of a desorbed raw gas desorbed out of components of the raw gas adsorbed to at least one of the reforming catalyst and a carbon monoxide decreasing catalyst such that a ratio of an amount of the combustion air to an amount of the raw gas in the burner unit falls within a predetermined range.
US08980482B2
The present invention provides a lithium-ion secondary battery with excellent high-temperature storage characteristics. The lithium-ion secondary battery provided by the present invention has positive and negative electrodes capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium ions, and an electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt as a supporting salt in an organic solvent. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains not only the lithium salt, but also at least one type of dicarboxylic acid as additive A; and at least one type of additive selected from vinylene carbonate, vinylethylene carbonate, ethylene sulfite, and fluoroethylene carbonate as additive B.
US08980474B2
A lithium secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. The negative electrode includes a current collector, an active material layer on the current collector and including an amorphous silicon oxide represented by SiOx (0.95
US08980462B2
A cable-type secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, which has a first polarity current collector having a long and thin shape, at least two first polarity electrode active material layers formed on the first polarity current collector to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, an electrolyte layer filled to surround at least two first polarity electrode active material layers, at least two second polarity electrode active material layers formed on the electrolyte layer to be spaced apart at positions corresponding to the first polarity electrode active material layers, the electrode assembly being continuously bent into a serpentine configuration by a space between the first polarity electrode active material layers; a second polarity current collector configured to surround at least one side of the electrode assembly bent into a serpentine configuration; and a cover member configured to surround the second polarity current collector and the electrode assembly.
US08980460B2
Electrodeposition involving an electrolyte having a surface-smoothing additive can result in self-healing, instead of self-amplification, of initial protuberant tips that give rise to roughness and/or dendrite formation on the substrate and/or film surface. For electrodeposition of a first conductive material (C1) on a substrate from one or more reactants in an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution is characterized by a surface-smoothing additive containing cations of a second conductive material (C2), wherein cations of C2 have an effective electrochemical reduction potential in the solution lower than that of the reactants.
US08980459B1
Cell and batteries containing them employing a transition metal chalcogenide positive electrode (cathode) in combination with a liquid alkali metal haloaluminate. At operating temperatures, the positive electrode (cathode) of the invention comprises a solid matrix comprising electroactive cathode material permeated with and in physical and electrical contact with liquid alkali metal haloaluminate electrolyte. The positive and negative electrodes are separated with a solid alkali metal conducting electrolyte. The transition metal chalcogenide is not in direct physical contact with the solid electrolyte. Electric and ionic conductivity between the solid electrolyte and the positive electrode is mediated by the liquid alkali metal haloaluminate electrolyte. More specifically, the cells are sodium/iron sulfide cells. Batteries of the invention are useful for bulk energy storage, particularly for electric utility grid storage, as well as for electric vehicle propulsion.
US08980457B2
A battery module including a plurality of battery cells each having a terminal surface accommodating at least one electrode terminal and a vent, and a bottom surface generally opposite from the terminal surface; and an end plate on the terminal surface of each of the battery cells, the end plate having an exhausting hole generally corresponding to the vent and a guide unit covering a portion of the exhausting hole.
US08980436B2
A pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film of the present invention comprises an optical film; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer laminated on at least one side of the optical film, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed from an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising a (meth)acrylic polymer comprising 30 to 99.99% by weight of an alkyl(meth)acrylate monomer unit and 0.01 to 15% by weight of a functional group-containing monomer unit, and the (meth)acrylic polymer in the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive is crosslinked by electron beam irradiation. The pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film has a high level of reworkability, durability and workability.
US08980435B2
A ceramic matrix composite component for a power generation system includes a ceramic foam core and a ceramic matrix composite material surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic foam core. The ceramic foam core remains in place during operation of the component in the power generation system. Additionally, a method of forming the ceramic matrix composite component is provided.
US08980424B2
Provided is a prepreg prepared by impregnating a base material with a resin composition, wherein the resin composition contains aluminum hydroxide having an average particle diameter of 2.5 to 4.5 μm and a glass filler having an average particle diameter of 1.0 to 3.0 μm, a specific gravity of 2.3 to 2.6 g/cm3 and a SiO2 content of 50 to 65% by mass; and a sum of blending amounts of aluminum hydroxide and the glass filler is 30 to 50% by mass based on a whole amount of solid matters in the resin composition. According to the above prepreg, capable of being obtained is a metal clad laminated plate in which in spite of using an inorganic filler such as silica and the like and aluminum hydroxide in combination, the inorganic filler is evenly dispersed and which is excellent in a processability and has a low thermal expansion coefficient.
US08980422B2
A polyurethane/polyisocyanurate foam is obtainable from the reaction of A) a polyol component comprising A1) an aromatic polyester polyol, A2) a polyether polyol started on a carbohydrate polyol and A3) a polyether polyol started on ethylene glycol, wherein the total hydroxyl number of the polyol component A) is from ≧150 mg KOH/g to ≦300 mg KOH/g; with B) a polyisocyanate component, wherein the equivalent ratio of NCO groups to the sum of the hydrogen atoms reactive towards NCO groups is from ≧110:100 to ≦200:100. This foam has improved adhesion properties to facings and is suitable for the production of composite elements without requiring the use of an additional adhesion promoter.
US08980414B2
The present invention provides a carrier-attached copper foil, wherein an ultrathin copper foil is not peeled from the carrier prior to the lamination to an insulating substrate, but can be peeled from the carrier after the lamination to the insulating substrate. A carrier-attached copper foil comprising a copper foil carrier, an intermediate layer laminated on the copper foil carrier, and an ultrathin copper layer laminated on the intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate foil is configured with a Ni layer in contact with an interface of the copper foil carrier and a Cr layer in contact with an interface of the ultrathin copper layer, said Ni layer containing 1,000-40,000 μg/dm2 of Ni and said Cr layer containing 10-100 μg/dm2 of Cr is provided.
US08980411B1
A method of making a folded absorbent article includes the steps of: providing an absorbent structure; providing a liquid-impermeable back sheet having a body-facing surface and a substrate-facing surface; joining the absorbent structure in facing relation to the body-facing surface of the back sheet to define an absorbent article; applying adhesive to the substrate-facing surface of the back sheet to define a first adhesive zone and a second adhesive zone; treating portions of the substrate-facing surface of the back sheet to define a first treated zone and a second treated zone; folding the absorbent article to align the first adhesive zone in facing relation with the first treated zone; and folding the absorbent article to align the second adhesive zone in facing relation with the second treated zone.
US08980409B2
The invention provides a laminate of a substrate, a polyimide film, and a coupling treatment layer interposed therebetween, which provides different delamination strengths between the substrate and the polyimide film to form a prescribed pattern. The invention also provides a method for producing such a laminate formed from at least a substrate and a polyimide film, whereby, using a film obtained by plasma treatment of at least the surface facing the substrate as the polyimide film, coupling agent treatment is performed on at least one of the surfaces facing the substrate and the polyimide film to form a coupling treatment layer, deactivation treatment is performed on a portion of the coupling treatment layer to form a pre-determined pattern, and then pressing and heating are performed with the substrate and polyimide film overlapping.
US08980408B2
A liquid composition containing: a water-soluble cationic polymer obtained by polymerizing monomers containing epihalohydrin and at least one of amine and amide; and water, wherein the liquid composition is for agglutinating negatively charged particles which are dispersed in a dispersion liquid.
US08980404B2
A composition for imprints comprising a polymerizable monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a polymer having a functional group with at least one of a fluorine atom or a silicon atom and having a polymerizable functional group, wherein the polymer has a weight-average molecular weight of at least 2000 and the amount of the polymer is from 0.01 to 20% by mass relative to the polymerizable monomer, is excellent in patternability and mold releasability, capable of forming good patterns and free from a problem of mold contamination.
US08980401B2
Provided is an optical member where at least a layer having polyimide as a main component and a layer having a textured structure arising from a crystal containing aluminum oxide as a main component are stacked in this order. The polyimide includes a silane group in a side chain via an amide bond.
US08980392B2
The use of a functionalized organosilicon compound as a coupling agent between an inorganic filler and an elastomer in an elastomer composition including an isoprene elastomer and a reinforcing inorganic filler is disclosed. The compound is selected among functionalized organosilicon compounds including at least one double bond C═C or C═N, and not including any C═C—C═O bonds or N═N bonds, and reacting with the isoprene units according to an electrocyclic reaction, in particular according to a standard cycloaddition reaction [2+1], [2+2], [3+2] or a Diels-Alder reaction [4+2] or an ene-synthesis reaction other than an ene-synthesis reaction between an isoprene unit and a C═C—C═O or N═N function. Also described, are elastomer composition(s) obtained and items manufactured using such compositions.
US08980371B2
A film deposition method includes rotating a rotary table by a first angle while supplying a separation gas from a separation gas supplying part and a first reaction gas from a first gas supplying part; supplying a second reaction gas from a second gas supplying part and rotating the rotary table by a second angle while supplying the separation gas from the separation gas supplying part and the first reaction gas from the first gas supplying part; rotating the rotary table by a third angle while supplying the separation gas from the separation gas supplying part and the first reaction gas from the first gas supplying part; and supplying a third reaction gas from the second gas supplying part and rotating the rotary table by a fourth angle while supplying the separation gas and the first reaction gas.
US08980368B2
To improve the procedure for producing plates for lead-acid batteries, it is proposed with the invention to expose the pasted plates to saturated steam in one phase of the procedure.
US08980367B2
A method for making an anode active material is described. The anode active material includes a phosphorus composite material. In the method, a solid-state red phosphorus and a porous conductive carbon material are provided. The solid-state red phosphorus and the porous conductive carbon material are spaced disposed in a vessel and the vessel is sealed. The solid-state red phosphorus is sublimed by heating the vessel to make the sublimed red phosphorus diffused in the porous conductive carbon material. The sublimed red phosphorus is condensed. The condensed red phosphorus adsorbs in the porous conductive carbon material to form the phosphorus composite material.
US08980366B2
In a conditioning method conditions interiors of a plurality of process chambers of a substrate processing apparatus, conditioning of the interior of the first process chamber is performed if a first integrated value set in connection with the process of the substrate reaches a set value N1. The second process chamber is set in a standby state when the conditioning of the first process chamber starts and the series of processes is stopped. By determining whether a second integrated value set in connection with process of the substrate in the second process chamber is equal to or greater than a set value N2, count of a third integrated value in the second process chamber is started if the second integrated value is equal to or greater than the set value N2. A conditioning of the second process chamber is performed if the third integrated value exceeds a set value N3.
US08980363B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for positioning the core of the compression coated tablet in manufacturing techniques for the production of such tablets.
US08980361B2
Cooking and frying oils comprising estolide compounds are described. Also described are methods of making food products comprising cooking or otherwise preparing at least one article of food with a composition comprising at least one estolide compound.
US08980358B2
A frozen aerated confection is provided, comprising water; a fat component in an amount of 1 to 15% by weight of the frozen aerated confection wherein greater than 20% and less than 35% by weight of the fatty acids in the fat component are polyunsaturated, and less than 65% by weight of the fatty acids are saturated; mammalian milk protein; and sweetener; characterized in that the frozen confection contains less than 0.04% emulsifier by weight of the frozen confection. A process for manufacturing such a frozen aerated confection is also provided.
US08980350B2
Methods of making reduced-fat or fat-free fried food products, and products made according to the methods, in which food pieces are coated with an aqueous adhesion mixture including a protein, and an oil absorption minimizing agent including an edible lipophilic material, where the coating is adhered to the food pieces, in order to provide for food products having the texture, flavor, and other characteristics of conventional full-fat fried food products. According to a preferred embodiment, the aqueous adhesion mixture includes from about 65 to about 95% by weight water, from about 4 to about 25% by weight protein, from 0 to about 2% by weight hydrocolloid, and from 0 to about 10% by weight protein stabilizing agent.
US08980346B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a hard butter, which comprises conducting transesterification between one or more selected from the group consisting of straight-chain saturated C16-22 fatty acids and lower alcohol esters thereof and a triglyceride having oleoyl group and/or linoleoyl group at the 2-position with an action of a granulated powder lipase comprising a lipase derived from Rhizopus oryzae and/or Rhizopus delemar and a soybean powder, and removing the granulated powder lipase after the transesterification. The process is industrially suitable process for preparing a hard butter, which have excellent properties as a cacao butter equivalent.
US08980338B2
A composition including as an active ingredient an extract of a plant of the family Mesembryanthemaceae with mesembrenol and mesembrenone as the two major alkaloids present. The invention also relates to the use of the composition as a PDE4 inhibitor and as a serotonin-uptake inhibitor, preferably applied in formulations for the use of the composition as a dual serotonin-uptake inhibitor and PDE4 inhibitor. The invention extends to compositions, such as pharmaceutical compositions or compositions used as dietary supplements, the total alkaloid content of which includes at least 80% (w/w) combined content of mesembrenol and mesembrenone, less than 5% (w/w) mesembrine, and at least 7% (w/w) mesembranol.
US08980333B2
This disclosure relates to novel detergents for use in various procedures including, for example, nucleic acid amplification reactions such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods for preparing the modified detergents are also described.
US08980330B2
Provided is a method that enables a calcium silicate-based material to be produced more efficiently. The method of producing a calcium silicate-based material comprises: (1) a step of obtaining a reaction product by reacting raw materials containing a calcium component, a silicon component and an aluminum component in an aqueous medium; and (2) a step of forming calcium silicate by subjecting the reaction product to hydrothermal treatment.
US08980327B2
The present invention includes an oral pharmaceutical capsule comprising a shell, lanthanum carbonate or lanthanum carbonate hydrate, and a lubricant such as talc, wherein the shell encapsulates the lanthanum carbonate or its hydrate and the lubricant. Capsule shells comprise, for example, gelatin. The present invention also includes an oral pharmaceutical powder comprising lanthanum carbonate or lanthanum carbonate hydrate and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The oral pharmaceutical capsules and powders of the present invention can be administered to treat a patient at risk of or suffering from hyperphosphatemia, at risk of or suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD), at risk of or suffering from soft tissue calcification associated with CKD, or at risk of or suffering from secondary hyperparathyroidism.
US08980323B2
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problem of precipitation of a poorly water-soluble compound in a hydrophilic matrix upon inclusion of the poorly water-soluble compound in the hydrophilic matrix. The present invention provides a composition wherein a poorly water-soluble compound is contained in a hydrophilic matrix in a finely-dispersed state.
US08980307B2
Methods and compositions are provided for increasing the anaerobic working capacity of muscle and other tissues. Also provided are compositions formulated for the sustained release of free beta-alanine. Also provided is a dietary supplement formulated, for example, as a solid food product, an edible suspension, liquid or semi-liquid as described herein.
US08980306B2
The present invention concerns a method of enhancing milk production by a ruminant that includes providing a feed that contains sorbitol and at least one additional feed component, and orally feeding the feed to the ruminant, the ruminant ingesting about 100 grams, or less, of sorbitol per day.
US08980305B2
There is provided pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of pain comprising a pharmacologically-effective amount of an opioid analgesic, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, presented in particulate form upon the surfaces of carrier particles comprising a pharmacologically-effective amount of an opioid antagonist, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, which carrier particles are larger in size than the particles of the opioid analgesic. The compositions are also useful in prevention of opioid abuse by addicts.
US08980304B2
The present invention relates to annular intravaginal devices comprising an aperture, methods of making, and uses thereof. The annular devices comprise an aperture extending into the device, the aperture having: (a) an interior diameter, and (b) an exterior entry diameter, wherein the exterior entry diameter of the aperture is less than the interior diameter of the aperture.
US08980293B2
The present invention relates to a method for stabilizing retinol (Vitamin A), an unstable fat-soluble material, to use the same in cosmetics. The present invention provides an anti-inflammatory and skin wrinkle reducing cosmetic composition containing retinol stabilized by nano-emulsification, wherein a retinol polymer nanocapsule formed by capturing retinol with porous polymer particles is nano-emulsified by a mung bean MCT (medium chain triglyceride) extract and lecithin for stabilizing retinol.
US08980288B2
Emulsion vaccine formulations containing an antigen and an adjuvant in the aqueous phase are used for the vaccination of animals wherein the adjuvant is an acrylic polymer and/or dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA). These formulations can be prepared by mixing an aqueous phase containing the antigen and adjuvant with an oil phase in the presence of an emulsifier.
US08980278B2
The present invention is directed to a bio-functionalized stimulus-responsive dissolvable PEG-hydrogel. This inventive stimulus-responsive dissolvable PEG-hydrogel comprises a matrix of PEG-polymers, which are modified to contain at least one multifunctional fusion protein, the multifunctional fusion protein preferably comprising as components a substrate binding peptide (SBP), preferably a repetitive RGD-binding peptide and/or a ZZ-binding domain, preferably a tag for purification, and at least one N- and/or C-terminal linker. The present invention is furthermore directed to the use of such inventive stimulus-responsive dissolvable PEG-hydrogels in the treatment of lesions, in surgical dressings, for wound treating, for soft and hard tissue regeneration, for the treatment of wounds in the oral cavity, in the field of ophthalmology, in the field of periodontal defects, etc. The invention also describes a method of treatment for such diseases. Additionally, the present invention provides a kit comprising the inventive stimulus-responsive dissolvable PEG-hydrogel and optionally further components.
US08980274B2
The invention provides Ehrlichia canis antigens that can be used to detect E. canis infected animals regardless of whether the animals have been vaccinated for E. canis. The invention also provides compositions and methods for determining the presence of E. canis antigens and antibodies.
US08980273B1
The invention relates to human targets of interest (TOI), anti-TOI ligands, kits compositions and method.
US08980270B2
The present disclosure provides methods of treating a tauopathy, involving administering an anti-Tau antibody. The present disclosure also provides anti-Tau antibodies, and formulations comprising same, for use in the methods.
US08980269B2
A method for determining whether early stage cancer is present in a subject comprises detecting the expression level of GASP-1 in the subject by detecting the amount of GASP-1 peptide fragments present in a biological sample of the subject. Because cancer can be detected at an early stage, therapeutic targeting may be initiated before cancer reaches late stage (e.g., before the development of overt symptoms). A method for treating early stage cancer in a subject comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of a GASP-1 inhibitor to inhibit the progression of early stage cancer to late stage cancer. A Competitive ELISA capable of detecting GASP-1 peptide fragments at a concentration of less than 1 ng/ml was developed.
US08980258B2
Bispecific single chain antibody molecules are disclosed which may be used to advantage to treat various forms of cancer associated with the overexpression of members of the EGFR protein family.
US08980256B2
A method of stabilizing an aqueous protein or antibody formulation is disclosed herein. Additionally, stable pharmaceutical formulations are contemplated which comprise a biologically active protein, a destabilizing concentration of preservative and a stabilizing concentration of osmolyte.
US08980254B2
Pharmaceutical formulations of orally administered proteins can be stabilized from oxidative degradation and inactivation in the stomach and GI tract by the addition of an antioxidant.
US08980248B2
This invention provides a polymer composition comprising at least one thermal gelling polymer and at least one anionic polymer for cell delivery applications. These injectable polymer compositions are shear-thinning, thixotropic and resorbable. More specifically there is described a hyaluronan (HA) and methylcellulose (MC) based thermogelling cell delivery system (HAMC) that promotes cell survival both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, HAMC (relative to media alone) enhances survival of transplanted stem/progenitor cells in the injured CNS. HAMC provides a minimally-invasive cell delivery strategy where the microenvironment can be further defined and the differentiation and regenerative capacity further explored. This hydrogel system has applications for minimally-invasive cell delivery to other tissues/organs in the body as well.
US08980246B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed methods that include a thymidine kinase deficient vaccinia virus. The methods include administering the vaccinia virus at increased viral concentrations. Further aspects of the invention include methods for inducing oncolysis or collapse of tumor vasculature in a subject having a tumor comprising administering to a subject at least 1×108 infectious viral particles of a TK-deficient, GM-CSF-expressing, replication-competent vaccinia virus vector sufficient to induce oncolysis of cells in the tumor.
US08980245B2
The present application discloses new PEG-interferon lambda 1 conjugates (PEG-IFNλ1), processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing these conjugates and processes for making the same. These conjugates have increased blood half-lives and persistence time compared to IFNλ1 and are effective in the treatment of hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
US08980231B2
Stable tooth bleaching gels with a high concentration of peroxide are disclosed. The present invention also provides a method for treating one or more teeth. The method includes steps of applying a therapeutically effective amount of a tooth bleaching gel with a high concentration of peroxide to one or more teeth, leaving the gel in contact with the one or more teeth such that the gel may whiten the tooth or teeth.
US08980220B2
A molecular probe for use in imaging of pancreatic islets is provided. The molecular probe comprises a polypeptide represented by the following formula (1), (2), or (3), or a polypeptide having homology with the foregoing polypeptide, (SEQ ID NO. 1) Z-HGEGTFTSDLSXQMEEEAVRLFIEWLKNGGPSSGAPPPS-NH2 (1) (SEQ ID NO. 2) Z-HGEGTFTSDLSKQMEEEAVRLFIEWLXNGGPSSGAPPPS-NH2 (2) (SEQ ID NO. 3) B-HGEGTFTSDLSKQMEEEAVRLFIEWLKNGGPSSGAPPPS-NH2 (3) where, in the formulae (1) and (2), “X” represents a lysine residue, an amino group of a side chain of the lysine residue being labeled with a radioactive nuclide, and “Z—” indicates that an α-amino group at an N-terminus is not modified, or is modified with a modifying group having no electric charge; in the formula (3), “B—” indicates that an α-amino group at an N-terminus is labeled with a radioactive nuclide; and in the formulae (1), (2), and (3), “—NH2” indicates that a carboxyl group at a C-terminus is amidated.
US08980219B1
A composition and its method of production are provided. The composition includes at least one zero-valent metal atom in complex with at least one hydride molecule. The method of production includes ball-milling an elemental metal in a high-surface area form, with a hydride. The composition can be useful as a reagent for the synthesis of zero-valent metallic nanoparticles.
US08980218B2
The present application relates to a method for preparing stoichiometrically pure maghemite iron superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The method for preparing maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) superparamagnetic nanoparticles disclosed in the present application is characterized by a step of reduction and appropriate steps of oxidation of the Fe-based composition obtained by the same. The maghemite nanoparticles obtained show a suitable size as well as binding properties without any surface modification. These nanoparticles can be therefore easily used as reagents for detection of inorganic and/or organic molecules as well as nanocarriers of organic and/or biomolecules.
US08980213B2
A manganese oxide contains M1, optionally M2, Mn and O. M1 is selected from the group consisting of In, Sc, Y, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. M2 is different from M1, and M2 is selected from the group consisting of Bi, In, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. These ceramic materials are hexagonal in structure, and provide superior materials for gas separation and oxygen storage.
US08980211B2
An energy conversion process that exports by-product CO2 at elevated pressure where a fuel gas feed stream is mixed with a reactant stream and additional CO2 is added to at least part of, the fuel gas feed stream, the reactant stream or both through desorption by contacting with a CO2-rich solvent stream in a first stage contactor to produce a mixed feed gas stream and a CO2-lean solvent stream; passing said mixed feed gas stream to a chemical conversion step, where further CO2 is produced; chilling at least part of the products of said chemical conversion step and thereby produce a CO2-lean gas stream; and passing at least part of said CO2-lean gas stream said to a second stage contactor where further CO2 is removed, by absorption, to produce a product gas stream and a solvent stream rich in CO2 from which said CO2-rich solvent stream is subsequently derived.
US08980209B2
Described are catalyst compositions, catalytic articles, methods of manufacturing catalytic articles and exhaust gas treatment systems and methods that utilize the catalytic articles. The catalyst composition comprises an oxidation catalyst comprising a washcoat layer including a platinum group metal supported on a refractory metal oxide support and porous molecular sieve particles having internal pores, the molecular sieve particles protected by a protecting material selected from an organic wax encapsulating the molecular sieve particles, a polymer encapsulating the molecular sieve particles, an inorganic oxide deposited on the surface of the molecular sieve particles, or an organic compound filling the internal pores of the molecular sieve particles, wherein the protecting material prevents interaction of the molecular sieve particles with the platinum group metal.
US08980192B2
Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.
US08980188B2
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a case having at least one storage compartment for low temperature storage, a lighting source arranged in the at least one storage compartment to generate a sanitation wavelength, a location controller configured to control a location of the lighting source, and a controller configured to control operation of the location controller.
US08980184B2
The invention relates to a device for the preparation of radiochemical compounds. It is provided that the device comprises at least a reaction module, a dosing module, and a storage module, wherein; the reaction module has at least one reaction vessel having a closable opening through which substances needed for the preparation of a predetermined radiochemical compound can be introduced into the reaction vessel of the reaction module and through which the prepared radiochemical compound can be removed from the reaction vessel of the reaction module; the dosing module has at least one pipetting head which can be moved relative to the storage module and the reaction module and in x, y, and z directions and also has at least one dosing unit; and at least one reservoir for one of the substances needed for the preparation of the respective radiochemical compound is formed in the storage module.
US08980179B2
The present invention relates to detection of fluorescence, and more particularly, to the use of fluorescent moieties in proximity to metallic surfaces to change the spatial distribution of fluorescence in an angular dependent manner and detecting emissions at a determined optimal detection angle thereby increasing sensitivity of the detection.
US08980177B2
Disclosed is a fluidic assay device for assaying at least one property of a liquid sample, the device comprising: (i) a liquid sample application region; (ii) at least one test flow path in liquid flow communication with the sample application region; (iii) a reference flow path in liquid flow communication with the sample application region; and (iv) a junction region, at which the test flow path and the reference flow path contact one another, the junction region typically comprising an outlet, conduit, chamber or other portion which permits the onward flow of liquid; wherein a liquid flowing along the reference flow path, upon reaching the junction region, has the effect of preventing the flow of liquid along the test flow path. The invention relates to a fluidic device for the passage of a liquid. It also relates to an assay device suitable for measurement of the amount and/or presence of an analyte in, or property of, a fluid sample.
US08980175B2
There are provided methods for sterilizing and/or disinfecting an object. The methods can comprise exposing the object disposed in a packaging material having at least one open end to an afterglow plasma, wherein the packaging material is non-porous and is transparent to UV radiation. There are also provided methods for using a packaging material. The methods can comprise disposing an object to be sterilized into the packaging material, the packaging material being non-porous, transparent to UV radiation, and having at least one open end; and exposing the object and the packaging material having at least one open end, to an afterglow of a plasma, thereby at least substantially protecting the object to be sterilized.
US08980149B2
The present invention relates to a method and device for manufacturing artificial stone. More specifically, the method includes the steps of: (a) mixing two or more kinds of chips having different grain sizes with a raw material for artificial stone; (b) injecting the raw material for artificial stone mixed with the chips into a mold; (c) applying primary vibration using a vibration device such that the raw material is uniformly dispersed in the mold; (d) applying vacuum to eliminate bubbles in the raw material; and (e) molding artificial stone by applying a secondary vibration using the vibration device. According to the method and device for manufacturing artificial stone of the present invention, the deposition rate of chips exposed at a surface of artificial stone is maximized, and thus the external appearance of artificial stone can be more naturally expressed and resistance against abrasion and staining can be improved.
US08980143B2
A method for transforming a selected polymeric material into a plurality of reaction products via supercritical water is disclosed. The method comprises: conveying the selected polymeric material through an extruder, wherein the extruder is configured to continuously convey the selected polymeric material to a supercritical fluid reaction zone; injecting hot compressed water into the supercritical fluid reaction zone, while the extruder is conveying the selected polymeric material into the supercritical fluid reaction zone so as to yield a mixture; retaining the mixture within the reaction zone for a period of time sufficient to yield the plurality of reaction products. The reaction zone may be characterized by a tubular reactor having an adjustably positionable inner tubular spear, wherein the tubular reactor and the inner tubular spear further define an annular space within the reaction zone, and wherein the mixture flows through the annular space and into a reaction products chamber.
US08980141B2
A dye for a fluid of an electrowetting element, the dye having a general formula selected from the group consisting of: wherein Q has the general formula: -Het1R1 or -Het1R1R2; V has the general formula: -Het2R3 or -Het2R3R4; Het1 and Het2 are heteroatoms; R1 and R3 are H; R2 and R4 are any functional group; T and U are any functional group; W, X, Y and Z are H or an alkyl group; and F, G, L and M are H or an alkyl group, and with the proviso that the dye does not have the general formula: The present invention further relates to a fluid comprising a dye of the present invention, an electrowetting element and an optical display device comprising the fluid, and a use of the dye to reduce photo-bleaching.
US08980137B2
A composite for providing electromagnetic shielding including a plurality of nanotubes; and a plurality of elongate metallic nanostructures.
US08980130B2
Liquid phase suspensions of substantially monocrystalline rare-earth borate particles, the mean size thereof ranging from 100 to 400 nm, are prepared by roasting a rare earth borocarbonate or hydroxyborocarbonate at a temperature which is sufficient for forming a borate and obtaining a product whose specific surface area is equal to or greater than 3 m2/g and then wet grinding the roasted product; such borates are useful in the form of luminophors, in particular, as luminescent transparent materials.
US08980127B2
The invention relates to a method for producing homogeneous solutions of metal complexes of general formula (2): [MaLxXn]Ym, where M is a metal from the group comprising Mn(II), Mn(III), Mn(IV), Fe(III), Fe(III) or Fe(IV), X is a coordinated compound selected from mono- bi- or tri-charged anions or neutral molecules which are able to coordinate with a metal mono- bi- or tri-dentate, Y is a non-coordinated counter-ion which ensures charge equalization of the complex, L is a ligand of general formula (1) or the protonized or de-protonized form thereof, and a, x, n, m, R, R1, R2, R3 and z are as specified in claim 1, in diols or polyols, the monoethers or mixtures of said substances. Said method is characterized in that a ligand of the formula (1) is reacted with an iron or manganese salt in a heterogeneous reaction in the diol or polyol, the monoethers or mixtures of these substances.
US08980118B2
Compositions, methods and systems which comprise or utilize a multi-component mixture comprising: (a) HFC-32; (b) HFC-125; (c) HFO-1234yf and/or HFO-1234ze; (d) HFC-134a. In certain non-limiting aspects, such refrigerants may be used as a replacement for R-404A.
US08980114B2
A film in a dry state is efficiently dissolved and removed. A film removing method includes steps of moving a nozzle head (10B) close to a soluble film (201) formed on a substrate (200), forming a liquid pool (302) of chemical liquid (300) between the nozzle head (10B) and the film (201) by continuously and simultaneously discharging and sucking the chemical liquid (300) from the nozzle head (10B), and horizontally moving the substrate (100) in a state in which the nozzle head (10B) and the surface of the film (201) are not contacted so as to relatively move the liquid pool (302) of the chemical liquid on the substrate (100).
US08980113B2
A method for chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate includes polishing the substrate at a stock removal rate of greater than about 2.5 Å/min to achieve a Ra of not greater than about 5.0 Å. The substrate can be a III-V substrate or a SiC substrate. The polishing utilizes a chemical mechanical polishing slurry comprising ultra-dispersed diamonds and at least 80 wt % water.
US08980112B2
A method for renewing an organic solvent includes an ultraviolet irradiation step in which an organic solvent containing a resin is irradiated with ultraviolet rays so as to enhance the ability of the organic solvent to dissolve the resin. A method for using an organic solvent and a method for producing an inkjet recording head utilize the method for renewing an organic solvent.
US08980109B1
A method fabricates a magnetic transducer having a nonmagnetic layer and an ABS location corresponding to an ABS. A pole trench is provided in the nonmagnetic layer. The pole trench has a pole tip region and a yoke region. At least one pole material is provided. The pole material(s) have an external protrusion that is above and external to the pole trench. A hard mask that covers at least the external protrusion is provided. A portion of the nonmagnetic layer adjacent to the pole trench is removed to form a side shield trench. At least one side shield material is provided. A portion of the side shield material(s) are adjacent to the hard mask and fill at least a portion of the side shield trench. The side shield material(s) and the pole material(s) are planarized to form at least one side shield and a main pole.
US08980104B2
An activated carbon cloth-supported bimetallic Pd—Cu nanocatalyst is disclosed comprising about 1 wt % Pd and about 0.35-0.45 wt % Cu and having a surface Cu/Pd metal ratio of about 8-10 m2/m2. The nanocatalyst is capable of removing nitrate and/or nitrite from wastewater with a high selectivity to nitrogen.
US08980098B2
Organic material may be removed from a fluid, such as an aqueous fluid, by contacting the fluid with a surface active porous medium. The surface active porous medium includes a bed of substrate particles (e.g. sand), at least a partial coating of nanoparticles on the substrate bed, and a plurality of absorbing particles fixated on the nanoparticles. The absorbing particles may include, but are not necessarily limited to, coal fines, activated carbon, activated charcoal, activated coal and combinations thereof. The surface active porous medium may be regenerated by contacting the surface active porous medium with an acid solution to substantially remove the organic materials therefrom.
US08980096B2
The present invention relates to a method for the modification of metal hydroxide and/or metal oxide surfaces of an inorganic matrix with an organometallic reagent for obtaining an organic functionalized matrix suitable for filtration processes. The method involves the direct covalent binding of organic functional groups by allowing a pre-treated matrix to react with organometallic reagents in the present of a suitable solvent. The present invention further relates to an organic functionalized matrix obtainable or obtained by carrying out a method according to the invention. The invention also provides various uses of a surface-modified matrices as described herein in various industrial applications, including for instance in filtration and/or adsorption and/or separation processes, or as support, e.g. for catalyst systems or for enzyme systems.
US08980089B2
The present application relates to a high-rate anaerobic pool bioreactor (“BLAAT”) as an improved processing unit for treating biodegradable wastewater, which allows the conversion of a low-performance rate traditional system, such as the anaerobic pool, into an efficient, compact system that enables clean energy to be recovered in the from of biogas. The application also describes a process for the anaerobic treatment of wastewater that uses said bioreactor, which optimizes the processes of mixing and contact between the biomass and the substrate and presents a novel process for separating out the biomass by means of improved sedimentation in horizontal laminar flow.
US08980088B2
A fluid treatment arrangement may include a fluid treatment unit having a multilayer structure. The multilayer structure may include at least one feed layer, at least one permeate layer, and at least one layer of a permeable fluid treatment medium between the feed layer and the permeate layer. The fluid treatment unit may further include a thermoset which holds the layers together and forms at least a portion of a first end surface of the fluid treatment unit. The fluid treatment arrangement may also include a thermoplastic sheet which overlies the first end surface of the fluid treatment unit. The thermoset directly bonds to the thermoplastic sheet.
US08980082B2
Disclosed herein is a method of simultaneously removing sulfur and mercury from a hydrocarbon material, including: hydrotreating the hydrocarbon material containing sulfur and mercury in the presence of a catalyst including a metal supported with a carrier to convert sulfur into hydrogen sulfide, and adsorb mercury on a metal active site or a carrier of the catalyst in the form of mercury sulfide.
US08980081B2
A process of upgrading a highly aromatic hydrocarbon feedstream comprising (a) contacting a highly aromatic hydrocarbon feedstream, wherein, a major portion of the feedstream has a boiling range of from about 300° F. to about 800° F., under catalytic conditions with a catalyst system, containing a hydrotreating catalyst and a hydrogenation/hydrocracking catalyst in a single stage reactor system, wherein the active metals in the hydrogenation/hydrocracking catalyst comprises from about 5%-30% by weight of nickel and from about 5%-30% by weight tungsten; and (b) wherein at least a portion of the highly aromatic hydrocarbon feedstream is converted to a product stream having a boiling range within jet or diesel boiling ranges.
US08980080B2
A system and process for integrated desulfurizing, desalting and deasphalting of hydrocarbon feedstocks is provided. A hydrocarbon feedstock, a water soluble oxidant, and a water soluble catalyst can be introduced in a oxidation zone and retained for a period of time sufficient to achieve the desired degree of desulfurization, or introduced directly into the desalting zone along with wash water. Catalyst and dissolved salt are discharged along with the wastewater effluent from the desalting zone. A hydrocarbon stream including converted hydrocarbons and oxidation by-products is passed to a deasphalting zone. In the deasphalting zone, phase separation occurs, whereby a light phase including desulfurized hydrocarbons are produced, and a heavy phase including asphaltenes and oxidation by-products are discharged, e.g., passed to an asphalt pool.
US08980079B2
An electrolytic cell includes at least one free-standing diamond electrode and a second electrode, which may also be a free-standing diamond, separated by a membrane. The electrolytic cell is capable of conducting sustained current flows at current densities of at least about 1 ampere per square centimeter. A method of operating an electrolytic cell having two diamond electrodes includes alternately reversing the polarity of the voltage across the electrodes.
US08980074B2
A biosensor is disclosed comprising a support; a conductive layer composed of an electrical conductive material such as a noble metal, for example gold or palladium, and carbon; slits parallel to and perpendicular to the side of the support; working, counter, and detecting electrodes; a spacer which covers the working, counter, and detecting electrodes on the support; a rectangular cutout in the spacer forming a specimen supply path; an inlet to the specimen supply path; a reagent layer formed by applying a reagent containing an enzyme to the working, counter, and detecting electrodes, which are exposed through the cutout in the spacer; and a cover over the spacer. The biosensor can be formed by a simple method, and provides a uniform reagent layer on the electrodes regardless of the reagent composition.
US08980071B2
Apparatuses for deposition of one or more layers. In one aspect, an apparatus for deposition of one or more layers includes an anode; a cathode; a vacuum chamber including the anode and the cathode; a sensor configured to detect an electric potential between a section of the at least one anode and a section of the chamber. Furthermore, methods to monitor a device for deposition of one or more layers are also described.
US08980066B2
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor film and a method of depositing the semiconductor film. The semiconductor film comprises oxygen, nitrogen, and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, cadmium, gallium, indium, and tin. Additionally, the semiconductor film may be doped. The semiconductor film may be deposited by applying an electrical bias to a sputtering target comprising the one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, cadmium, gallium, indium, and tin, and introducing a nitrogen containing gas and an oxygen containing gas. The sputtering target may optionally be doped. The semiconductor film has a mobility greater than amorphous silicon. After annealing, the semiconductor film has a mobility greater than polysilicon.
US08980064B2
A pyrolytic conversion assembly for processing biomass including: a rotary kiln including a tube for heating the biomass at pressure having a sealable inlet at a first, higher end for ingress of the biomass, and a sealable outlet at a lower end for egress of charcoal formed from the biomass; and heating elements disposed around the kiln to provide a localized source of heating at a predetermined distance from the sealable inlet for reflux condensation of gas from the biomass.
US08980062B2
An industrial fabric, belt or sleeve and a method of making the fabric, belt or sleeve are disclosed. The industrial fabric, belt or sleeve is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, around two rolls in a side-to-side manner in which a gap between adjacent edges is formed. A second material, for example a gap filler material, is placed between the adjacent edges, and the adjoining edges are joined by melting the filler material, strips of polymeric material, or both. The gap filler material can have a specific cross-sectional shape corresponding to the gap.
US08980059B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for attaching particulate additives to a population of cellulose fibers dispersed in an aqueous solution. The cellulose fibers are treated with an activator that forms complexes with them. The particulate additive is attached to a tether that is capable of interacting with the activator, thereby forming a tether-bearing particulate additive. The tether-bearing particulate additive can be added to the activated suspension of cellulose fibers. The resulting interaction between the tether and the activator forms durable complexes that attach the particulate additive to the cellulose fibers. Using these systems and methods, useful additives like starches can be attached to cellulose fibers, imparting advantageous properties such as increased strength to paper products formed thereby. These systems and methods are particularly useful for papermaking involving virgin pulp fibers, recycled fibers, or any combination thereof.
US08980046B2
A top plate assembly is positioned above and spaced apart from the substrate support, such that a processing region exists between the top plate assembly and the substrate support. The top plate assembly includes a central plasma generation microchamber and a plurality of annular-shaped plasma generation microchambers positioned in a concentric manner about the central plasma generation microchamber. Adjacently positioned ones of the central and annular-shaped plasma generation microchambers are spaced apart from each other so as to form a number of axial exhaust vents therebetween. Each of the central and annular-shaped plasma generation microchambers is defined to generate a corresponding plasma therein and supply reactive constituents of its plasma to the processing region between the top plate assembly and the substrate support.
US08980040B2
A method of manufacturing an underpants-type absorbent article having an outer body provided with a mutually separate front piece, back piece and connecting sheet, and wherein the front piece and the back piece are mutually joined at side areas and are mutually connected by the connecting sheet extending in the front-to-rear direction at the crotch area, and an inner body containing an absorptive body and which is overlapped and anchored to the connecting sheet on the inside of the outer body, comprises, in turn, transporting a continuous body of the front piece in the form of a front piece web and a continuous body of the back piece in the form of a back piece web in a machine direction while maintaining a spacing area in a cross-machine direction, forming a continuous body of the outer body in the form of an outer body web by attaching the connecting sheet to the front piece web and the back piece web at intervals in the machine direction so as to straddle the spacing area, cutting the outer body web in order to form edges that define leg holes, and attaching the inner body to the outer body web.
US08980038B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly with excellent electrode transfer ability to electrolyte membrane. Disclosed is a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly, the assembly comprising an electrolyte membrane and an electrode which are attached to each other, the method comprising: a hot pressing step in which an electrolyte membrane and an electrode, the electrode comprising an electroconductive material and an electrolyte resin and being formed on a flexible substrate, are hot pressed to produce a laminate in which the electrolyte membrane, the electrode and the flexible substrate are laminated in this order, and a bending step in which the laminate is bent so that the flexible substrate side becomes concave, thereby removing the flexible substrate from the electrode.
US08980037B2
A method for manufacturing an instructional booklet that folds away from a substrate. A multi-up book is provide having two or more booklets and a waste zone that share a common spine. The waste zone is adhered to a substrate that is larger than the booklets. An overlaminate is applied to secure the multi-up book to the substrate. The area between the booklets and the substrate is devoid of adhesive. Subsequently, the waste zone is die cut and removed along with the overlaminate and substrate leaving completed labels with booklets. The substrate can be adhered to a container without interference from the booklet. The booklet is held closed against the label by the overlaminate which extends beyond the substrate and booklet to adhere directly to the container.
US08980028B2
In a metal base substrate with a low-temperature sintering ceramic layer located on a copper substrate, bonding reliability is increased between the copper substrate and the low-temperature sintering ceramic layer. A raw laminated body is prepared by stacking, on a surface of a copper substrate, a low-temperature sintering ceramic green layer including a low-temperature sintering ceramic material containing about 10 mol % to about 40 mol % of barium in terms of BaO and about 40 mol % to about 80 mol % of silicon in terms of SiO2, and this raw laminated body is subjected to firing at a temperature at which the low-temperature sintering ceramic green layer is sintered. In the thus obtained metal base substrate, a glass layer composed of Cu—Ba—Si based glass with a thickness of about 1 μm to about 5 μm is formed between the metal substrate and the low-temperature sintering ceramic layer.
US08980020B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a metal structural component, in particular a vehicle structural component, in which a steel part is hot formed and is hardened at least over sections by contact with a tool surface, in which the steel part is during the hardening cooled in at least two partial regions at different cooling rates, so that the partial regions after the hardening differ in their microstructure, wherein the cooling rates differing from one another are produced by sections of the tool surface corresponding to the partial regions of the steel part, which differ from one another as regards their thermal conductivities. The invention also relates to a further method for producing a metal structural component, as well as a tool and a batch furnace.
US08980017B2
A method for manufacturing a steel plate provided with a layered structure. A method for manufacturing a steel plate includes: i) providing a high carbon steel plate; ii) homogenizing the high carbon steel plate; iii) transforming the high carbon steel plate into an austenitic phase by heating the high carbon steel plate; iv) contacting the high carbon steel plate with an oxidization gas and converting the high carbon steel plate into a steel plate comprising surface layers that are spaced apart from each other and are decarburized to be transformed into a ferritic phase, and a center layer that is located between the surface layers and is not decarburized; and v) cooling the high carbon steel plate and transforming the center layer into a martensitic phase.
US08980015B2
Chromate free treatments and compositions for applying a conversion or passivation coating to metal surfaces. Preferred compositions comprise a film forming latex polymer, fluoacid, phosphoric acid, and a polyoxyethylene/oxypropylene block copolymer. The requisite metal surfaces are contacted by the compositions and dried. Rinsing is optional.
US08980009B2
The invention is directed to a method for at least partially removing a contamination layer (15) from an optical surface (14a) of an EUV-reflective optical element (14) by bringing a cleaning gas into contact with the contamination layer. In the method, a jet (20) of cleaning gas is directed to the contamination layer (15) for removing material from the contamination layer (15). The contamination layer (15) is monitored for generating a signal indicative of the thickness of the contamination layer (15) and the jet (20) of cleaning gas is controlled by moving the jet (20) of cleaning gas relative to the optical surface (14a) using this signal as a feedback signal. A cleaning arrangement (19 to 24) for carrying out the method is also disclosed. The invention also relates to a method for generating a jet (20) of cleaning gas and to a corresponding cleaning gas generation arrangement.
US08979997B2
A concrete mixture for forming a breathable concrete. The mixture comprises aggregate particles and a paste comprising water, cement or cement substitute, and plasticizer. The plasticizer controls the viscosity of the paste such that the paste forms a substantially uniform layer coating the particles, with the coated particles in contact, while allowing spaces to be retained there between. These spaces interconnect forming channels through the concrete, allowing air to permeate there through such that the concrete exhibits good dynamic insulation properties, whist retaining structural strength.
US08979993B2
A precursor batch composition that can be used to make porous ceramic articles is provided. The batch composition includes a cellulose-based polymer and, in particular, a methylcellulose showing a specified micro-calorimetry thermal response fingerprint. The methylcellulose can also have a cloud point above a specified temperature.
US08979992B2
A polypeptide solution of the present invention is a polypeptide solution in which a polypeptide derived from natural spider silk proteins is dissolved in a solvent. The solvent contains at least one selected from the following (i)-(iii): (i) DMSO; (ii) DMSO with an inorganic salt; and (iii) DMF with an inorganic salt. Further, in the present invention, an artificial polypeptide fiber is obtained by: using the polypeptide solution as a dope solution; and extruding the dope solution from a spinneret into a desolvation bath so as to eliminate the solvent from the dope solution and form a fiber to produce an undrawn yarn. Moreover, in the present invention, a polypeptide is purified by subjecting the polypeptide solution to heat treatment and thereafter removing an undissolved substance therefrom. Thus, the present invention provides the polypeptide solution whose solute has high solubility and solvent itself is low cost, and that allows dissolution at high temperatures and has high safety: a method for producing an artificial polypeptide fiber: and a method for purifying a polypeptide.
US08979991B2
A substance that sets in a relatively short time for use in general dentistry and in endodontics to replace natural tooth material, the substance comprising untreated mineral trioxide aggregate and milled mineral trioxide aggregate, or comprising untreated mineral trioxide aggregate, milled mineral trioxide aggregate and water. A method of making a substance that sets in a relatively short time for use in general dentistry and in endodontics to replace natural tooth material, the method comprising milling by high shear and impact impingement of particles using high pressure homogenization. A method for use in general dentistry and in endodontics to replace natural tooth material.
US08979989B2
An ink for inkjet recording including a pigment, a penetrating agent and water, wherein the pigment includes: an ozone-oxidized carbon black, including carbon black oxidized by ozone and having a volatile matter content of the carbon black of 10% by mass to 20% by mass and a BET specific surface area of 90 m2/g to 150 m2/g; and a resin-coated carbon black, including: carbon black; and a resin present on a surface of the carbon black.
US08979985B2
A conformal filter is disclosed having a plurality of sorbent beds oriented perpendicular to an inner side surface of the filter which conforms to an adjacent surface, such as a wearer's face when attached to a respirator. The inner side of the filter may approximate the curved shape of an interfacing surface. Because the sorbent beds are oriented perpendicular to the inner side surface, a conformal configuration can be achieved without bending the sorbent beds and while keeping constant bed residence time throughout the entire cross-sectional area of the air flow, thus enforcing even air distribution. Reduced bed depth is also achieved through this configuration which consequently reduces the overall pressure drop through the filter. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08979980B2
A gas cleaning unit for cleaning a main raw gas stream from a plant comprises a plurality of gas cleaning chambers (34a-c), each gas cleaning chamber (34a-c) equipped with a cleaning chamber inlet (46a-c); an inlet manifold (32), for dividing said main raw gas stream flowing therethrough into a plurality of separate fractional raw gas streams for flow to said cleaning chamber inlets (46a-c); and a plurality of heat exchangers (40a-c), each heat exchanger (40a-c) being located downstream of the inlet manifold (32) for exchanging heat with a respective fractional raw gas stream entering a respective cleaning chamber (34a-c).
US08979976B2
A process for separating Co from Ni in an aqueous solution comprises subjecting the solution to extraction and using kinetic differences between Ni and Co in the extraction for achieving at least a partial separation of Co from Ni. This is effected by controlling the duration of the extraction so that a major portion of Co and a minor portion of Ni is extracted from the solution to produce a loaded extractant, enriched in Co and depleted in Ni compared to the feed solution, and a Co-depleted raffinate containing Ni. In a further embodiment, the invention utilizes kinetic differences between Ni and Co during striping for effecting separation of Ni and Co. The loaded extractant can be subjected to a bulk stripping or a selective stripping operation to obtain Co and Ni solutions from which Ni and Co can be recovered. The process may be incorporated in a hydrometallurgical process for the extraction of Ni and/or Co from an ore or concentrate containing Ni and Co.
US08979975B2
Disclosed is a method of producing low oxygen-content molybdenum powders by reducing molybdenum trioxide, which includes charging a first reducing agent and the molybdenum trioxide, which are in the direct contact with each other on a micro-sieve on an upper portion of a bracket in a body, charging a second reducing agent in the bracket under the micro-sieve, coupling the body with a cover to close the body, and performing a reduction reaction by raising an internal temperature of the body by performing the first reduction reaction due to direct contact between the first reducing agent and the molybdenum trioxide, and performing the second reduction reaction due to evaporation of the second reducing agent. The first and second reduction reactions are performed at a temperature in a range of 550° C. to 650° C., and a temperature in a range of 1000° C. to 1200° C., respectively.
US08979971B2
A process for producing a metallic component with an opening or a hollow space by selective laser sintering or laser melting includes melting a metallic powder in layers at appropriate cross-sectional regions by using laser radiation. After the laser sintering or laser melting process, the component is subjected to a fracture splitting process, in which the component is fractured into at least two fractional parts along a fracture line and then the at least two fractional parts are connected to one another at the sites of fracture to form the component. The fracture line contacts or passes through the opening or the hollow space.
US08979962B2
A filter element for insertion into a housing of a ventilation or air-conditioning system, including a bellows with pleated walls and pleat tips and a front face, which can be faced towards a wall of the housing, wherein a guide duct is allocated to the front face, wherein the guide duct is formed by at least one breakthrough in the pleated walls and/or in a side strip that is hemming the front face, in view of the object to indicate a mechanical coding for a filter element which ensures a unique allocation of a filter element to a housing, wherein the filter element is provided with breakthroughs and wherein the mechanical strength of pleated walls and side strips is impaired as little as possible by the breakthroughs, characterized in that the breakthrough is provided with a reinforcing.
US08979957B2
An abrasive product includes a plurality of abrasive particles and a resin binder cured from a resin composition that includes an aqueous dispersion of melamine methylol having a melamine-to-formaldehyde molar equivalent ratio of between about 1:1 and about 1:3.2, wherein the aqueous dispersion has a pH in a range of between about 8 and about 10. The composition also includes a formaldehyde-based resins, such as a urea-formaldehyde resin or phenol-formaldehyde resin. The melamine methylol comprises between about 1 wt % and about 50 wt % of the combined weight of the formaldehyde-based resin and the melamine methylol.
US08979956B2
In an embodiment, a polycrystalline diamond compact includes a substrate and a preformed polycrystalline diamond table having an upper surface, an interfacial surface, and at least one side surface extending therebetween. The interfacial surface of the polycrystalline diamond table is bonded to the substrate. The polycrystalline diamond table includes bonded diamond grains defining interstitial regions. The polycrystalline diamond table includes a first region extending inwardly from at least a portion of the upper surface and at least a portion of the at least one side surface. The first region spaced from the interfacial surface. The polycrystalline diamond table includes at least a second region extending inwardly from the interfacial surface to the upper surface. The first region includes at least a first infiltrant disposed interstitially between the bonded diamond grains thereof. The second region includes at least a second infiltrant disposed interstitially between the bonded diamond grains thereof.
US08979954B2
A hydrogen generator with improved volume efficiency and a method of producing hydrogen gas with the hydrogen generator are disclosed. A fluid containing a reactant is transported from a reactant storage area to a reaction area. Hydrogen gas and an effluent pass from the reaction area into the effluent storage area that is in a volume exchanging relationship with one or both of the reactant storage area and the reaction area. An initially compressed filter is disposed in the effluent storage area to remove solids from the hydrogen gas. The filter is attached to a moveable partition separating the effluent storage area from the reactant storage area and/or the reaction area, and the filter expands as the volume of the effluent storage area increases.
US08979952B2
The invention relates to the improvement of the fuel-properties of biomass in an integrated manner to facilitate storage, shipping and applicability thereof. In the process, biomass (6) is thermally treated within a combustion process to cause partial torrefaction of the organic matter present in biomass, thus yielding components inert to biological decomposition processes. Constituents (10) separated in gaseous form are utilized as fuel, while the thermally treated biomass (8) remaining in the solid form is utilized in a separate process.
US08979937B2
A multi-component ankle joint assembly incorporated into reconditioned end surfaces established between an upper tibia bone and an opposing and lower talus bone. A first component is anchored into the upper tibia reconditioned end surface and exhibits a first exposed support surface. A second component is anchored into the lower talus reconditioned end surface of and exhibits a second exposed support surface. A spherical shaped intermediate component is supported in at least one of eccentric or rotational fashion between the first and second anchored components. The spherical shaped component includes a multi-layer composition having a softer outer layer and at least one harder interior layer establishing an eccentric rotational interface therebetween.
US08979936B2
An orthopedic implant includes a first portion including at least one feature modified to be patient-specific and match the anatomy of a specific patient from a three-dimensional digital image of a patient's joint using computer modeling. The orthopedic implant includes a non-custom inner bone-engaging surface including a plurality of planar surfaces configured for engagement with non-custom bone cuts.
US08979932B2
The invention relates to an intervertebral disc prosthesis comprising at least two plates, namely first and second plates, articulated about each other by means of a curved surface, namely articulation, of at least one of the plates, each of the plates comprising a surface known as a contact surface, intended to be in contact with a vertebral plate of one of the vertebrae between which the prosthesis is intended to be inserted, this contact surface for each of the plates comprising a geometrical centre at equal distance from at least two diametrically opposite points located on the periphery of the plate, in which the geometric centres of the plates are not vertically aligned, this off-setting of the geometrical centres of the plates engendering an off-setting of the edges of the plates in at least one direction perpendicular to the vertical axis of the spinal column.
US08979931B2
A method of replacing a nucleus pulposus material wherein curable nucleus pulposus material is injected into a balloon in an intervertebral space. The balloon has an inlet port and an outlet port that are connected to a pressure-measuring device. After the catheter is placed in the intervertebral space, the balloon is filled with a radio-opaque solution until the desired balloon volume is attained. The nucleus replacement material is then fed into the inlet port of the balloon, while the radiopaque agent is allowed to leave via the outlet port. Once the balloon is completely filled and curing of the curable nucleus replacement material is accomplished, the catheter and ports are removed, and the annular defect can be sealed.
US08979929B2
Spinal tissue distraction devices that include at least one guide member for guiding a distraction device to a location between layers of spinal tissue. The guide member has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The distal end portion is adapted for insertion between the tissue layers and defines a shape of a desired support structure. The distraction device is slidably mounted on the guide member for advancing the distraction device distally along the guide member for insertion of the distraction device between the tissue layers. The distraction device substantially conforms to the shape defined by the distal end portion of the guide member to form a support structure that separates, supports or both separates and supports the tissue layers.
US08979927B2
A spinal implant having a spinal cage and a plurality of staples. The spinal cage is configured to be positioned in an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae. The plurality of staples are moveably disposed on the spinal cage and configured to be inserted into the adjacent vertebrae so as to secure the spinal cage in the intervertebral space when the spinal cage is positioned therein. A method of securing the spinal implant within the intervertebral space.
US08979926B2
Systems, devices, and methods are provided for orthopedic implants. The implants may include a base member, such as an acetabular shell or an augment, that is configured to couple with an augment, flange cup, mounting member, or any other suitable orthopedic attachment. An implant may include a base member that has at least two projections with a gap between the projections. The gap between the projections allows the implant to be implanted around another implanted component, such as around a bone screw of an acetabular shell. The implant may include a fixation element, such as a screw or a cement trough, on one or more projections to couple the implant to an implanted acetabular shell. The implant may also include timing marks to facilitate alignment with corresponding marks on another implanted component.
US08979918B2
A stent (1) comprising a hoselike body obtained by braiding a multiplicity of thin wires (2) of superelastic metal into plaited form. In the longitudinal intermediate portion of the hoselike body, mutually neighboring individual thins wires (2) of superelastic metal are in contact with each other or close to each other with a minute interspace and are formed into a thin wire densely braided hose portion (3) with a length needed to block any opening of blood vessel dilation. At both side portions thereof, mutually neighboring individual thin wires (2) of superelastic metal are formed into a thin wire coarsely braided hose portion (4) provided with an interstice allowing passage of blood flow. The hoselike body when pulled in the longitudinal direction causes the individual thin wires (2) of superelastic metal to stretch into fine gathering, and when released from pulling can make resilient restoration to the original hoselike body.
US08979914B2
An irradiation device for irradiating of body parts of a patient is provided, with a carrier system which provides a basic framework of the irradiation device with at least one light head with a light source for the irradiation, and a control element for operating the irradiation device. The irradiation device moreover includes a separate control module that is connected with the carrier system with at least one control for controlling the at least one light head. Innovative assembly and connection arrangements aid rapid and secure positioning.
US08979913B2
A computer implemented method and apparatus can create an exposure regimen for a user. The regimen can be used to instruct an exposure device to expose the user to light at a wavelength, duration, and intensity, and over one or more days, which is sufficient to alter the user's circadian rhythm. The user may provide one or more preferences which allow the technology to create the exposure regimen sufficient to alter the user's circadian rhythm.
US08979910B2
Embodiments of bony region stabilization are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08979897B2
An interspinous implant includes an implant body having an upper face, a lower face, and four sides. The implant body includes a first recess and a second recess in opposite sides, wherein each recess is suitable for receiving a spinous process of a vertebrae. Attachment means are provided and suitable for attaching a band to the implant body. The implant further includes a lock hinged to a side of the implant body on a side not having the recesses, with the lock rotatable about the hinge between a closed position and an open position in which the lock projects away from the side of the implant body. The lock has an aperture, and a band can pass through the aperture when the lock is open and can be secured against movement relative to the lock and the implant body by the lock when the lock is closed.
US08979895B2
An adjustable suture assembly is provided that may be employed in various surgical procedures to draw and/or hold tissue and/or muscle together. The suture assembly may include a suture lock or tensioner that is adjustably securable to two or more lengths of suture to provide a surgeon with an ability to maintain tissue or muscle in one secured position and subsequently readjust the suture assembly to maintain the tissue or muscle in a different secured position. The suture assembly may include two or more sutures having an anchor attached to an end of each suture for anchoring the suture to desired tissue or muscle. An endoscopic suturing device is provided to deliver and place two or more sutures in tissue or muscle during a surgical procedure. The suturing device may be configured to carry a plurality of sutures so that multiple sutures can be placed in tissue or muscle during a single intubation of the device. The suture assembly and suturing device may be employed with an endoscope to facilitate surgical treatment of obesity which involves narrowing and/or disabling the pyloric sphincter to reduce the rate of gastric emptying.
US08979891B2
Medical systems, devices and methods are provided for engaging tissue, e.g. for clipping tissue, closing a perforation or performing hemostasis. Generally, the medical system including a housing, first and second jaws rotatable relative to the housing, first and second links attached to both the jaws and the housing, and a driver. The housing, first and second jaws, and first and second links form a linkage mechanism that allows the jaws to engage tissue and be left in vivo.
US08979890B2
A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue may comprise a handle, a trigger, an electrical input, and a shaft extending from the handle. The surgical instrument may comprise an end effector first and second tissue engaging surfaces that are slanted with respect to a transection plane. The end effector may, for example, have an electrode defining a V-shaped cross sectional profile. The end effector may comprise a plurality of raised surfaces that are received by a plurality of indentions when the end effector is in the closed position. The end effector may comprise a cutting member having a plurality of bands.
US08979888B2
Devices and methods for locating sinus ostia and positioning a guide wire within the sinus ostia. The subject devices include a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, a curved region located between the distal and proximal ends, and an interior channel, an extensible and retractable guide wire movably mounted within the interior channel and a probe tip joined to the guide wire. Certain devices further include expandable portions for engaging and treating body anatomy.
US08979872B2
New interventional methods and devices for reducing gastric volume, and thereby treating obesity, are disclosed. The procedures are generally performed laparoscopically and may generally be described as laparoscopic plication gastroplasty (LPG) in which, after obtaining abdominal access, spaced apart sites on a gastric wall are engaged and approximated to create one or more tissue folds that are then secured by placing one or more tissue fasteners to produce one or more plications projecting into the gastrointestinal space. These procedures are preferably carried out entirely extragastrically (i.e. without penetrating through the gastrointestinal wall), thereby minimizing the risks of serious complications. Minimally invasive devices for engaging, approximating and fastening soft tissues are disclosed that enable these new interventional methods to be carried out safely, efficiently and quickly.
US08979870B2
A device and related method of use is provided for the capture and removal of various unwanted objects present within the body's anatomical lumens. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the device includes an external elongate member; an internal elongate member disposed within the external elongate member; and a retrieval assembly connected to the internal elongate member and retractable within and extendable from a lumen of the external elongate member. The retrieval assembly includes an end configured to be selectively open or substantially closed.
US08979854B2
An orthopaedic surgical instrument assembly including a handle and a plurality of surgical tools configured to be selectively coupled with the handle. The handle includes a housing and a lever moveably coupled to the housing. Each surgical tool of the plurality of surgical tools includes a first clamping element and a second clamping element configured to move relative to the first clamping element. The second clamping element is configured to be coupled to the lever such that moving the lever relative to the housing advances the second clamping element toward the first clamping element to clamp a bone of a patient.
US08979850B2
A surgical guide device comprises first and second limbs pivotally connected together, with a respective guide sleeve pivotally attached to each limb. Each guide sleeve has a bore through the sleeve that can guide a drill bit or bone fixing for insertion into a fragmented bone portion. The device has an orientation mechanism adapted to change the orientation of the guide sleeves relative to the limbs as the limbs move relative to one another, so as to maintain the orientation of the guide sleeves relative to one another during pivotal movement of the limbs.
US08979845B2
Electrosurgical forceps for efficiently severing of hollow organs, in particular vessels. The electrosurgical forceps have a first branch and a second branch for gripping the hollow organ. The forceps have at least one neutral electrode on the second branch, at least one first coagulation electrode and a second coagulation electrode that is disposed on the first branch for applying a first HF current by means of the coagulation electrode, and at least one cutting device, which is arranged between the coagulation electrodes in order to sever the hollow organ in a cutting region. The cutting device has a cutting electrode for applying a second HF current between the cutting and neutral electrodes. The coagulation electrodes are arranged spaced apart from one another in such a way that the first HF current does not flow through or only a minor amount of the same flows through the cutting region.
US08979830B2
An apparatus that will alter the fibrous strands in the fatty layers of the skin to reduce the appearance of cellulite and adipose tissue. Electromagnetic energy is used to selectively shrink or alternatively photoacoustically ablate the collagen in the constricting bands of connective tissue that causes the dimpled appearance of cellulite and adipose tissue while avoiding damage to the surrounding fatty cells.
US08979819B2
A method of collecting colostrum from a breast of a human and dispensing the colostrum to a newborn may involve: coupling a first end of an adapter with a syringe; positioning a second end of the adapter in contact with or near the breast; manually expressing colostrum from the breast into the second end of the adapter; coupling the second end of the adapter with a breast pump shield; expressing colostrum from the breast, using the breast pump shield and a breast pump system attached to the breast pump shield; retracting a plunger of the syringe to cause the colostrum to move into the syringe from the adapter; detaching the adapter from the first end of the syringe; and dispensing the colostrum to the newborn from the syringe.
US08979814B2
Described here are body liners and methods for treating accidental bowel leakage using one or more body liners. The body liners may be formed from one or more liner layers and in some instances may comprise one or more adhesive regions to connect the body liners to the skin of a wearer. The body liners may be configured to absorb fluid, and may selectively distribute fluid relative to the body liner.
US08979813B2
A body attachment wafer for an ostomy device is provided, which body attachment wafer has a stoma opening, and an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is covered by a release layer, having an opening which corresponds to the stoma opening. The release layer is divided along at least one dividing line from the stoma opening to the periphery of the body attachment wafer, and the release sheet includes a first grip tab extending from the release sheet in the area of the at least one dividing line. The first grip tab is arranged to overlap the release sheet on the other side of the dividing line.
US08979805B1
A catheter connector and securement device system includes a connector seated within a securement device. The securement device includes a lower shell member having a perimeter wall defining an interior cradle space that conforms to the connector body. A cover member is hinged to the lower shell member at a hinge line and is movable from an open position for insertion and removal of the connector to a closed position wherein the cover member releasably latches to the lower shell member to retain the connector within the lower shell member. A catheter retention device may be spaced from the perimeter wall.
US08979802B2
Catheter assemblies are described having a catheter hub with a catheter tube and a needle hub with a needle projecting through the catheter tube. The catheter hub has at least two seals with at least one being a temporary seal that ends or terminates upon movement of a needle and/or a guard. Different needle guards are provided that can be seated differently within the catheter hub to seal against the elastic seal.
US08979799B1
An electronic injector including an electronic on-body injector for use with a patient to deliver a fluid through an injection device. The electronic on-body injector includes a fluid reservoir; a MEMS pump; a bolus injection needle, the bolus injection needle having a bolus injection needle tip aligned with the injection port, the bolus injection needle being slideably biased away from the injection port to define a gap; and a bolus needle button operably connected to the bolus injection needle to slide the bolus injection needle along the injection axis. The bolus needle button is operable to advance the bolus injection needle tip to close the gap and advance the bolus injection needle tip into the injection port to form a bolus injection flow path. The bolus needle button is further operable to activate the MEMS pump to deliver a predetermined bolus volume.
US08979798B2
A fluid flow device includes a housing configured to releasably mate with a surgical control unit for controlling fluid flow during a surgical procedure. First and second ports measure fluid pressure within a fluid path provided within the housing. The fluid flow device includes a restrictor for restricting fluid flow at a restriction location along the fluid path. The first port is located upstream of the restriction location and the second port is located downstream of the restriction location. A fluid pump is provided within the housing.
US08979797B2
The invention relates generally to methods and systems for the treatment of pelvic tissues using a high pressure injection device to deliver a therapeutic composition that includes a large molecule therapeutic agent, such as a nucleic acid or a polypeptide, to a target tissue in the pelvic area. Methods of the invention can improve delivery of the therapeutic agent into the tissue, which can be beneficial for the treatment of a pelvic tissue disorder, such as bladder and prostate tumors.
US08979796B2
An applicator for treating skin, includes a housing, in which a device for perforating an area of skin is arranged, wherein the device for perforating the skin can be brought into contact with the area of skin through an opening in the housing. At least one device for disinfecting is additionally arranged in the housing, and the device for disinfecting acts upon the area of skin through the same opening. With the applicator, a particularly secure and simple handling can be achieved.
US08979793B2
Methods and devices for performing percutaneous and surgical interventions. The devices comprising a tubular portion and retractable mechanism at the distal end of the tubular portion. The retractable mechanism prevents the device from pulling out of an anatomical structure during complex interventions, for example, when switching from an antegrade to a retrograde approach within a blood vessel, enables the use of a single sheath when declotting AV hemodialysis fistulas and can provide occlusion of blood flow during interventions and means of removal of debris or clot from the blood vessel.
US08979792B2
Inline liquid drug medical device having a longitudinal device axis, a housing with a linear displaceable sliding flow control member displaceable along a transverse bore from a first flow control position for establishing flow communication between a first pair of ports for liquid drug reconstitution purposes to a second flow control position for establishing flow communication between a second pair of ports for liquid drug administration purposes, and a manually operated actuating mechanism for applying a linear displacement force for urging the flow control member to slide along the bore from its first flow control position to its second flow control position.
US08979791B2
A medicated module comprising a connecting body configured for attachment to a drug delivery device. A first needle is fixed within the connecting body and an outer body operatively coupled to the connecting body. A needle guard operatively coupled to the outer body and a biasing member positioned between the outer body and needle guard. A second needle fixed within the outer body and a recess within the connecting body defines a reservoir. The reservoir contains at least one dose of a medicament and is configured for fluid communication with the first and second needle.
US08979789B2
A device and method for performing stenting and intubation of the nasolacrimal system to treat for stenosis or obstruction includes a semi-rigid tubular guide sleeve through which a flexible tubular stent, having an oversized length, is inserted from a punctal opening into the nasal cavity. The guide sleeve is removed and a resilient, radially expandable punctal anchor is placed through the punctal opening, to contact the stent and hold it in place. An introducer device having a hollow tubular core and a coaxially mounted, axially translatable outer sheath is provided to facilitate placement of the anchor. The anchor is stretched over the distal end of the core and the stent threaded into the central lumen of the core. Once the anchor is in place, the sheath is translated to push the anchor off the distal end. Excess stent at its proximal end is then trimmed off.
US08979784B2
The present invention relates to a swab for collecting biological specimens of the type consisting of a rod terminating in a tip covered with fiber with hydrophilic properties to allow absorption of said specimens, wherein said fiber covers said tip in the form of a layer deposited by flocking.
US08979781B2
A splint system includes a first base member including at least one connector portion. A second base member including at least one connector portion having a cavity, wherein an interior surface of the cavity includes slidable portions and coupling portions, the first and second base members being aligned to form a longitudinal passage. A shaft member is disposed in the longitudinal passage, and when the coupling portions of the shaft member align with the coupling portions of the second base member, the first and second base members are fixed relative to each other.
US08979776B2
A lithotripsy system capable of 3D tracking monitors the acoustic reflection from the stone in order to focus the shock wave on the stone regardless of shock wave displacement or stone movement. The tracking and focusing is based on a phased array concept, allowing the lithotripsy head to remain stationary and well coupled to the body. An alternate shock wave steering is based on refraction by a variable liquid wedge.
US08979775B2
A soundhead of a treatment device is provided that enables a volume of tissue located beneath the soundhead to simultaneously receive ultrasound and light stimulation. According to one embodiment, the soundhead includes an ultrasound transducer, a light source, and a faceplate extending across a face of the transducer for providing a tissue contacting and ultrasound energy coupling surface of the soundhead. The faceplate is transparent or translucent to the light generated by the light source. Alternate embodiments including externally mounted light sources are also disclosed.
US08979763B2
The invention comprises an apparatus for determining the contextual or physiological status of the individual wearing the apparatus. The apparatus is designed to be consumable or disposable. In most embodiments the invention comprises an adhesive housing. In some embodiments, two different sensors are secured to the housing. The apparatus is in electronic communication with a processing unit that can derive analytical status data by using the data received from the two sensors. In some embodiments, the processing unit is programmed to control other devices, or is programmed to trigger an event. In still other embodiments, the apparatus is in electronic communication with a separate computing device, which may contain the processing unit.
US08979758B2
A sensing insert device (100) is disclosed for measuring a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system. The sensing insert device (100) can be temporary or permanent. The sensing module (200) is a self-contained encapsulated measurement device having at least one contacting surface that couples to the muscular-skeletal system. The sensing module (200) comprises one or more sensing assemblages (1802), electronic circuitry (307), an antenna (2302), and communication circuitry (320). The sensing assemblages (1802) are between a top plate (1502) and a bottom plate (1504) in a sensing platform (121). The bottom plate (1504) is supported by a ledge (1708) on an interior surface of a sidewall (1716) of a housing (1706). A cap (1702) couples to top plate (1502). The cap (1702) is adhesively coupled to the housing (1706). The adhesive is flexible allowing movement of the cap (1702) when a force, pressure, or load is applied thereto.
US08979756B2
Described herein is a patient monitoring system that includes a body network (16) with at least one sensor (12) that senses physiological information about a patient and a cognitive device (2) for communicating the physiological information to a remote location. The cognitive device includes a cognitive radio (4), a cognitive monitor (10), and a transmitter (8). The cognitive radio (4) checks detected frequency spectra (6) for unused bandwidth and recommends one or more bands on which to transmit clinically relevant information received from the body network (16) to the remote location; the cognitive monitor (10) receives the information from the body network (16), prioritizes the information based at least in part on a set of rules (30), and selects which information to transmit based on the prioritization and the recommended transmission bands; and the transmitter (8) transmits the selected information as a junction of priority over at least one or the recommended transmission bands.
US08979746B2
Disclosed herein is a retraction device for laparoscopy in which a trocar needle including latching grooves formed at the side of the lower end thereof is inserted into a trocar tube, both ends of which are opened, to form a laparoscopic platform, the laparoscopic platform pierces an abdominal wall and the trocar needle is pushed into an abdominal cavity so that the latching grooves are exposed to the outside of the trocar tube, sutures connected to tissue retractors retracting tissues are hung on the latching grooves, and then the trocar needle of the laparoscopic platform is drawn upwards so that the latching grooves are inserted back into the trocar tube to fix the tissue retractors to the laparoscopic platform. The retraction device for laparoscopy prevents the tissues from being unnecessarily damaged due to retraction and facilitates convenient retraction of the tissues without the help of assistant's two hands.
US08979744B2
A tunneling system includes an elongate tunneling member defining a longitudinal axis along at least a portion of a longitudinal length thereof. The elongate tunneling member has a first end and a second end. The second end of the elongate tunneling member includes a coupling segment adapted for securely engaging a catheter.
US08979728B2
The invention relates to safety precautions and mechanisms, particularly in connection with a wireless energy transfer system which involves the use of a transmitter (or transceiver) external to a patient's body and also a receiver implanted within a part of the patient's body.
US08979726B2
A composition and method of arresting the flow of blood from a bleeding wound. The composition preferably includes an anhydrous salt ferrate compound preferably combined with an effective amount of an insoluble cation exchange material and an effective amount of anhydrous Magnetite mixed uniformly together. Povidone iodine may be added for enhanced antimicrobial properties. In the method, a quantity of the composition is magnetically attached to a surface of a magnet, after which the powderous mixture is applied to the wound by pressing the surface covered with the powderous compound against the wound for a time sufficient to clot the blood to arrest substantial further blood flow from the wound.
US08979725B2
Intracavitary brachytherapy tandem and ovoid oncology treatment systems and methods are provided. One such system and method employs a multi-part tandem having a detachable distal section retained within a body cavity during and between radiation treatments. This can be for single-patient use and disposed of after completion of a multiple-dose radiation treatment session. Real time in vivo detection and monitoring and hytpertherapy features can be included. Tandem or ovoid colpostats can feature bendability to tailor the system to the specific body and patient being treated. Other systems and methods incorporate balloon devices that assist in spacing radiation doses away from chosen body sites. Balloon devices also can be provided for adjusting and maintaining separation spacing between two ovoid colpostats.
US08979724B2
General medication disposal systems are provided. Aspects of the systems include devices having a sealable container dimensioned to accommodate a pharmaceutical composition; and an amount of an inactivating substance, e.g., granulated or pelletized activated carbon, present inside of the sealable container. Aspects of the invention further include methods of making and using the systems, as well as kits comprising the devices of the system.
US08979723B2
A flat presser for supporting blanking material during operation of a blanking tool for making packaging blanks includes a plurality of coaxially oriented, concentric wall sections of progressively different interior areas and being collapsible from an extended position wherein the wall sections partially overlap in an axial direction to a collapsed position wherein the wall sections substantially completely overlap in the axial direction, and a biasing mechanism for biasing the wall sections to the extended position.
US08979712B2
A leg exerciser includes a base positioned on the floor, two pedals pivotally connected to the base in a parallel manner, two spring plates supporting the pedals on the floor, each spring plate having a fixed end connected to one pedal, a free end movably supported on the floor and a smoothly arched suspension arm connected between the fixed end and the free end, and two sliding coupling devices coupled between the free ends of the spring plates and the base, each sliding coupling device including a track plate extended from the base along a predetermined path and a roller pivotally connected to the free end of one spring plate and rotatably supported on the track plate.
US08979710B2
A system and method for correlating a video content presentation rate with an exercise machine operation rate is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus is an interactive video system that adapts easily to use with a wide range of gym equipment utilizing a video presentation device that includes an accelerometer and/or camera. The camera embodiment utilizes vision algorithms to determine periodicity and motion orientation prior to modifying the input as a function of the type of exercise equipment is being utilized, in order to determine a cadence. In one embodiment the camera does not rely on seeing the limbs being exercised but utilizes the observation that even highly trained athletes have a degree of extraneous motion of their theoretically immobile body parts during exercise. A prerecorded video presentation is modulated by sensing proximate vibrational energy to determine cadence in the case of the accelerometer.
US08979707B2
A method of operating a drive-train which comprises an automated shift transmission having an unsynchronized main transmission and a synchronized downstream group that is drivingly coupled downstream from the main transmission. An input shaft of the automated transmission is connected, via a clutch, to a drive aggregate and an output shaft of the automated transmission is connected to a drive axle. When the vehicle is driven and the main transmission is in a neutral position, if the drive aggregate malfunctions, to engage a gear, the downstream group is adjusted to stop transmitting power and thereby coast to a stop. A shifting impulse is applied to a shifting cylinder of the main transmission so that shifting elements, of the main transmission, ratchet over one another and eventually mesh thus engaging the main transmission, and once the main transmission is engaged, the downstream group is brought to a power-flow-transmitting position.
US08979706B2
A control device for a lockup clutch of a vehicle. A slip control device executes slip control to make a rotational speed difference between the input member and the input shaft match a target slip speed according to a state of the vehicle by half engagement of the lockup clutch. A clutch temperature obtaining means obtains a clutch temperature of the lockup clutch. A determining means determines if the lockup clutch should be fully engaged or disengaged based on at least a state of the motor if the clutch temperature becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature during execution of the slip control. A slip control stop means for stopping the slip control by fully engaging or disengaging the lockup clutch according to the determination result of the determining means.
US08979704B2
A hybrid drive of a motor vehicle having an automated manual transmission with two input shafts and a common output shaft. The first input shaft can be connected to the drive shaft of an internal combustion engine by a clutch and can be brought into a drive connection to the output shaft by a first group of shiftable gearwheel sets. The second input shaft has a drive connection to the rotor of an electric machine, which can operate as a motor and a generator, and can be brought into a drive connection with the output shaft by a second group of selectively shiftable gearwheel sets. The input shafts can be coupled by coupling-shift element. The hybrid drive is provided with a second electric machine, which can operate as a motor and a generator and has a rotor that can be connected to the first input shaft.
US08979698B2
The present invention refers to a conventional spur gear transmission or magnetic gear transmission, with a cycloidal configuration. The magnetic gears include contact points such that the mobile gear rolls on the fixed gear. Alternatively, a balance wheel is incorporated, which generates a centrifugal force opposite to the one associated with the mobile gear, of equal magnitude and on the same plane as this latter one, thereby completely eliminating the unbalancing of the mechanism. The balance wheel is mounted on the high-speed shaft in a manner similar to the mobile gear, and has the freedom to displace itself radially through centrifugal effect in the opposite direction to the eccentric position of the center of the mobile gear until it presses against a fixed track over which it rolls, concentric with the fixed gear with an equal force, opposite and collinear with that produced by the mobile gear.
US08979697B2
A speed changing apparatus for changing an input speed to an output either greatly slower or faster, the apparatus has a coaxial pair of ring gears that includes a large ring gear having a pitch diameter A and a small ring gear having a pitch diameter D. A coaxial pair of spur gears includes a large spur gear having a pitch diameter B and a small spur gear having a pitch diameter C. The large spur gear meshes with the large ring gear and the small spur gear meshes with the small ring. A carrier member is connected to one of the input and output shafts of the apparatus. Two gears of one of the two coaxial pairs being fixed together to operate epicyclically on the carrier. One gear of the other of the two coaxial pairs being fixed to the frame of the apparatus and the other gear being connected to the other of the input and output shafts. In the apparatus, the four gears satisfy the dimensional relationship of A=K+i, B=K, C=K−j and D=K+i−j.
US08979696B2
A high-pressure homogenizer including: a fixed body (7) housing a rotating crankshaft (10); a motor (3) for driving the crankshaft (10); a reduction gear unit (4) interconnected between the crankshaft and transmission elements (5, 6), characterized in that the reduction gear unit (4) is an epicyclic reduction gear unit. Preferably there is provided a lubricant feed line (15) which passes through the fixed body and reaches the epicyclic reduction gear unit (4). Preferably the epicyclic reduction gear unit (4) is constructed integrally with the fixed body (4).
US08979695B2
A drive device (1, 20) including an electric machine (3), a first planetary gear (4), a differential (5) and an operative connection between a drive shaft (3a) of the electric machine (3) and a first planetary pinion (4a) of the first planetary gear (4), said first planetary pinion (4) engaging with the first planet wheels (4b) which engage with a stationary first ring gear (4) and which are rotationally mounted on a first planet carrier (4c) which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a differential cage (5a) of the differential.
US08979694B2
A hybrid vehicle has a powertrain that includes a transmission with a planetary gear set that has a first, a second, and a third member. An engine is connected for unitary rotation with the first member. A first final drive is operatively connectable with the carrier member and connected with the first axle. A first motor-generator is connected for unitary rotation with the third member. A second motor-generator is operatively connected for proportional rotation with one of the axles. A first clutch is selectively engageable to connect any two of the members for unitary rotation with one another. The planetary gear set provides an underdrive ratio of speed of the second member to speed of the engine when the sun gear member is stationary.
