US07710653B2
A liquid immersion type projection optical system that can stably prevent the outflow of immersion liquid into inside of an optical system and can maintain good imaging performance. In the projection optical system of the present invention, an optical path between a light transmitting member (Lp) disposed closest to a second surface (W) side and the second surface is filled with a liquid (Lm1) having a refractive index greater than 1.1, and a light shielding film (36) for shielding the passing of light is formed on the side surfaces (41, 42) of the light transmitting member. When D is a space between the second surface and the light shielding film, Θ is a maximum incident angle of an image forming beam which reaches the second surface, and Ym is a maximum image height on the second surface, the condition of 0.25
US07710645B2
A projection screen for selectively reflecting light from a front projector. The screen includes an etalon coating structure with a first layer of reflective material, a second layer of dielectric material, and a third layer of partially reflective semiconductor material. The projection screen produces a reflection having an asymmetric-shaped response in the visible spectrum.
US07710640B2
A projection objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The projection objective can project an image of a mask that can be set in position in an object plane onto a light-sensitive coating layer that can be set in position in an image plane. The projection objective can be designed to operate in an immersion mode, and it can produce at least one intermediate image. The projection objective can include an optical subsystem on the image-plane side which projects the intermediate image into the image plane with an image-plane-side projection ratio having an absolute value of at least 0.3.
US07710638B2
A wavelength conversion device has a supporting substrate, and a wavelength conversion element provided on the supporting substrate, with separate portions provided on both sides of the wavelength conversion element. The separate portions are separated from the wavelength conversion element by an adhesive layer that bonds the supporting substrate and the wavelength conversion element while also bonding the supporting substrate with the separate portions. The element and separate portions are made of ferroelectric materials, respectively. The wavelength conversion element has a ridge optical waveguide, with grooves provided on each or both sides of the ridge optical waveguide and extended portions provided on the outside of each of the grooves.
US07710636B2
Various embodiments include interferometric optical modulators comprising a substrate layer having a thickness between about 0.1 mm to about 0.45 mm thick and a method for manufacturing the same. The interferometric modulator can be integrated together with a diffuser in a display device. The thin substrate permits use of a thicker substrate. The thinner substrate may increase resolution and reduce overall thickness of the inteferometric modulator. The thicker diffuser may provide increased diffusion and durability.
US07710631B2
An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a reflective element assembly having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium sandwiched therebetween. A substantially non-transparent perimeter band is disposed at the second surface of the front substrate and around a perimeter border region of the second surface of the front substrate. The perimeter band is not specularly reflective to visible light that passes through the first substrate and is incident on the perimeter band. A first electrical connection is at the first electrically conductive layer at a first overhang region and a second electrical connection is at the second electrically conductive layer. The perimeter band is dimensioned so as to render the presence of the perimeter seal and at least the first electrical connection substantially unobservable to a driver normally viewing the reflective element assembly when the vehicle is normally equipped with the interior rearview mirror assembly.
US07710618B2
An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors mutually spaced in a sub scanning direction; a platen arranged between the original and the three line sensors; a mover moving the platen at a rate relative to the three line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the three line sensors; a first detector detecting a noise pixel based on a plurality of data output from the three line sensors; and a second detector detecting a subsequent noise pixel based on the noise pixel detected with the first detector.
US07710614B2
A bottom plate 25 is formed so as to open and close over substantially the entire bottom side of a document transport device 2, which is provided on the top of an image forming device, the bottom face of the bottom plate 25 being a pressure face for pressing against a document. The bottom plate 25 can be swung around a pivot 25a, and engages with a document transport device main body 21 by way of a document transport path bottom member 21. One end of the document transport path bottom member 71 is swingably supported by the document transport device main body 21, and a pin 71a that is provided at the other end thereof slidably engages in a groove 25c in a side wall 25b that is provided on the swinging end of the bottom plate 25, so as to open together with the bottom plate 25.
US07710613B2
An image information apparatus includes image input devices that read images on both sides of an original in parallel, a local memory that temporarily stores one or more image data read by the image input devices, and a hard disk device that stores the same image data that is stored in the local memory. A PCI bus, which serves as a transfer path for the image data on both the sides, and a PCI transfer controller, which controls communication via the PCI bus, are provided between the image input devices and the local memory. In addition, transfer units, which pass the image data on both the sides read by the image input devices to the PCI transfer controller in parallel and individually, is provided on the image input devices.
US07710604B2
A method and system for providing a halftoned image is disclosed. The method and system comprise scaling the halftoned image by performing pel repetition utilizing an error diffusion algorithm such that artifacts are minimized. According a system and method in accordance with the present invention performs pel repetition using error diffusion technology, so that any resulting “artifacts” are realized as high-frequency image addition, making them much less visible. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides adjustability in the computational complexity of the scaling, so that quality can be traded off continuously against the amount of processing power required.
US07710602B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and systems for context-based adaptive image processing wherein print job elements are processed according to context, which may be determined by segmentation and analysis of print job elements.
US07710600B2
An image processing apparatus that stores input image data is disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes a color space evaluating unit which evaluates a color space of the input image data by comparing the color space of the input image data with a reference color space, a frequency distribution calculating unit which calculates an appearing frequency distribution of a color included in the input image data, and a color space determining unit which determines a color space in which the input image data are to be stored by applying color control to the input image data based on the evaluated result by the color space evaluating unit and the calculated result by the frequency distribution calculating unit.
US07710594B2
It is an object of the present invention, when using image scanner(s) to capture image(s) of original(s) and using printer(s) to print same, to enable four-sided borderless copying such that margin(s) do not appear on printout(s). An image scanner might capture an image corresponding to scan region 263 which might be somewhat larger than original 262. Image processing circuitry might then enlarge an image corresponding to scan region 266 (arrow 279), converting it into enlarged image 271. Within enlarged image 271, the image of original 262 might have been enlarged so as to become image 273, which might be somewhat larger than printing paper 274. This enlarged original image 273 which would be present within enlarged image 271 might then be printed by a printer.
US07710590B2
A method for generating a print job ticket includes extracting page attribute information from an electronic document, embedding the page attribute information as an object within the document, processing the document to form a print job, automatically reading the object embedded in the processed document to retrieve embedded page attribute information, and generating a job ticket for the print job based on the retrieved embedded page attribute information.
US07710583B2
There is provided a surface position measuring system which includes a reflectivity computing module which computes predictive reflectivities of a plurality of circuit patterns, an inspection light source which irradiates an inspection light onto each of a plurality of inspection areas, area by area, above the plurality of circuit patterns under irradiation conditions determined based on a corresponding each of the predictive reflectivities of the plurality of circuit patterns, and a photodetector which detects a reflected inspection light reflected from each of the plurality of inspection areas to detect a surface position of a corresponding each of the plurality of inspection areas.
US07710582B2
Before applying a processing laser beam to a surface of a substrate through a film of liquid, distance M2 between a reference point on an axis of a first laser displacement meter and the surface of the substrate is measured to correct distance M1 between a lower end of an optical unit and the surface of the substrate, on the basis of distance M2, the processing laser beam is applied to the surface of the substrate, thereby cutting and removing a part of the surface of the substrate, and a depth to which the surface of the substrate has been cut and removed with the processing laser beam is measured by a second laser displacement meter.
US07710569B2
A portable apparatus having a source, a detector and a filtering element placed a known distance from the source and/or the detector. One embodiment of the apparatus is a headlamp having an illumination source, a camera, and two eye pieces. The headlamp has an adjustable headband for positioning the headlamp on the head of the user and a protective cover for interacting with the camera, eye pieces, and/or illumination source. The protective cover preferably includes multiple sets of filtering elements such that motion about or along an axis changes the filtering elements interacting with the camera, eye pieces, and/or the illumination source.
US07710567B1
Methods and systems are provided for determining the density and/or temperature of a fluid based on the manner in which optical energy is affected as the optical energy propagates across a gap between opposing end faces of optical waveguides, or the manner in which the optical energy is reflected from interfaces of optical waveguides and the fluid.
US07710555B2
An apparatus for determining wheel assembly alignment comprises a contact assembly, a light source, and a light beam receiving assembly. The contact assembly engages the wheel assembly to define a plane of orientation of the wheel assembly and the light source projects a beam of light with respect to the contact assembly. The light beam receiving assembly receives the light beam and forms an image of the light beam indicating the orientation of the wheel assembly with respect to a predetermined position. The receiving assembly may include a Fresnel lens for directing the received light beam to a target and a camera device for imaging the light beam on the target, with the camera device adapted to provide toe and camber information of the wheel assembly based on the location at which the light beam impinges upon the target. The contact assembly may be pressed against the wheel assembly without being secured thereto.
US07710553B2
A device provides precise determination of angle or position based upon linear array imaging of unique coded sequences imprinted on a reference wheel or linear scale. An optical image of coded reference marks thus obtained is digitally processed to identify the width and centroid location of lines within a sequence, from which precise angle or position can be derived. The device provides either absolute or relative angle or position measurements that may be used for reference, control, monitoring, or display. The code sequence, imprinted on the exterior cylindrical edge of a code wheel or on the face of a code strip, is subdivided into unique coded segments, The coded segments and imaging array are sized such that the array is always able to image a full contiguous segment for any angular or linear position.
US07710549B2
A movable-body-speed-detecting apparatus includes a movable body capable of moving linearly and/or circularly, a plate fixed to the movable body, the plate having a predetermined length in a direction in which the movable body moves, and light emission/reception means arranged such that light output from a light-emitting element enters a light-receiving element. The plate has a window section that passes between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element in accordance with movement of the movable body and that blocks or allows passage of light to the light-receiving element. The apparatus further comprises speed calculation means for calculating the speed of the movable body by converting the amount of light received by the light-receiving element into a signal and measuring the signal.
US07710546B2
In a laser receiver receiving a laser beam from a laser transmitter and a laser receiving system composed of a plurality of laser receivers, a plurality of photo devices are arranged on an acceptance surface so that acceptance angles of the laser beam thereof are mutually different in order to detect distances between an acceptance position of a center point of a received laser beam on an acceptance surface and a reference point and an elevation angle of the received laser beam from a reference surface. Also, distance detection means respectively compare acceptance levels of the photo devices detected by the level detection means with thresholds, thereby detecting distance between the center point of the laser beam and the reference point of the acceptance surface by combination of comparison results thereof. Elevation angle detection means respectively compare acceptance levels of the photo devices detected by the level detection means with thresholds, thereby detecting elevation angles from the reference surface by combination of comparison results thereof.
US07710538B2
The invention provides a method for correcting thermally-induced field deformations of a lithographically exposed substrate. First, a model is provided to predict thermally-induced field deformation information of a plurality of fields of the substrate. The pre-specified exposure information used to configure an exposure of the fields is then modified based on the thermally-induced deformation information as predicted by the model. Finally a pattern is exposed onto the fields in accordance with the pre-specified exposure information as modified. The predicting of thermally-induced field deformation information by the model includes predicting of deformation effects of selected points on the substrate. It is based on a time-decaying characteristic as energy is transported across substrate; and a distance between the selected points and an edge of the substrate.
US07710537B2
In an immersion lithography apparatus in which immersion liquid is supplied to a localized space, the space is substantially polygonal in plan substantially parallel to the substrate. In an embodiment, two corners of the space have a radius of curvature no greater than the width of a transition zone between the space configured to contain liquid and a surrounding configured not to contain liquid.
US07710528B2
There is provided an electro optical device including an electro optical panel formed by sticking a first substrate and a second substrate together, and a flexible wiring substrate connected to the electro optical panel. The first substrate includes a extension portion flaring from the second substrate, the wiring substrate includes a base material having flexibility and a conductive pattern provided on the base material, the wiring substrate is connected to the extension portion of the first substrate by using an adhesive agent, the wiring substrate includes a wide width portion connected to the extension portion and a narrow width portion continuing to the wide width portion and extending outwardly from an edge side of the extension portion in the flaring direction, and an edge side of the wide width portion at the narrow width portion side is matched to the position of the edge side of the extension portion in the flaring direction or is positioned inside of the edge side of the extension portion in the flaring direction.
US07710525B2
A TFT that provides an efficient layout, a fabrication method thereof, an LCD device having the TFT, and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The TFT has a gate electrode and source/drain electrodes with an active layer interposed. The source electrodes and the drain electrodes are alternated in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. Thus, the same source electrodes and the same drain electrodes are arranged in a diagonal direction. Source lines are connected with the source electrodes arranged in a diagonal direction and drain lines are connected with the drain electrodes arranged in a diagonal direction. Since a channel width is formed between the source electrode and adjacent drain electrodes, the channel width can be maximized within a limited area. Also, the source lines and the drain lines are arranged in a diagonal direction, so that an area use rate is maximized.
US07710517B2
A liquid crystal display includes a backlight, a polarization plate, at least two substrates, a liquid crystal layer placed between the substrates, and a color filter layer formed on at least a part of the substrates, wherein the color filter layer has green pixels that satisfy the relations 0.250.58, wherein x and y each represent a chromaticity value in an xy color system using illuminant C, the color filter layer has a contrast of 1000 or more with respect to each of X, Y and Z values, and the backlight uses a light-emitting device having a peak wavelength in the range of from 520 to 540 nm as a light source.
US07710513B2
A method for illuminating a liquid crystal display device, a back-light assembly for performing the same and a liquid crystal display device using the same can improve the front luminance and production yield. Lights from a lamp is incident to a LCD panel side, which are then primarily diffused for a uniformity of the luminous flux of the incident lights. The luminous flux of the primarily diffused lights is condensed with respect to a first orientation component on a plane in parallel with the LCD panel, and then partially and secondarily diffused for extending a view angle of pixels of the LCD panel. After the luminous flux of the secondarily diffused lights is condensed with respect to a second orientation component perpendicular to the first orientation on the parallel plane, the condensed lights are illuminated onto the LCD panel. A diffusion sheet for secondarily diffusing the luminous flux and a condensing sheet for condensing the second orientation component are formed by a single sheet to reduce the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device. Also, a defect produced from respective sheets is minimized to enhance the yield.
US07710504B2
A remote control system and method comprising a television and a light pointing apparatus adapted, in a first embodiment, to transmit a first narrow beam having a first frequency corresponding to visible light, which is used to give an indication of where the pointer is pointed, and a second expanded beam surrounding the first beam and comprising a second frequency corresponding to infrared light. In a second embodiment, the pointer transmits a single frequency modulated light beam. In operation, the beam of light is shown on the television screen to activate an on screen menu based user interface via a photo sensor, microprocessor and onscreen display controller. Screen menu items appear on the screen positioned around the periphery of the screen. The user then moves the beam of light on the screen to the periphery of the screen to optically engage one of the plurality of photo conductors, which triggers an appropriate menu sequence or the performance of a television function such as, e.g., channel up.
US07710495B2
A portable communication apparatus (1) comprises a first housing portion (2) and a second housing portion (3), a rotary support member (6) rotatably connecting the first housing portion and the second housing portion, an image producing apparatus (7), and an optical input (8) for the image producing apparatus located in the support member. The image producing apparatus (7) is located in the first housing portion (2) or the second housing portion (3) of the portable communication apparatus (1), and an optical arrangement (11) extends an optical path (12) of the image producing apparatus from the first housing portion or the second housing portion to the optical input (8) located in the rotary support member (6).
US07710491B2
The object of this invention is to attain accurate control by correcting any deviation of a cam locus due to manufacturing errors and the like upon controlling a zoom lens and focus lens along a theoretical cam locus. To attain this object, a differential locus between the theoretical cam locus (stored cam locus) and a true cam locus due to an error obtained by a measurement is obtained, and is stored as cam correction data. The lens control is made while correcting the theoretical cam locus by the correction data.
US07710484B2
A CCD image sensor is driven in an interlace scan method, in which readout of signal charge is performed in two divided fields. In the first field, signal charge Qs accumulated in photodiodes of the first horizontal line and noise charge Qn generated in VCCDs on the second horizontal line are transferred. In the second field, the signal charge Qs accumulated in the photodiodes of the second horizontal line and the noise charge Qn generated in the VCCDs on the first horizontal line are transferred. The image signal based on the noise charge Qn obtained in the second field is subtracted from the image signal Qs based on the signal charge obtained in the first field. Then the image signal based on the noise charge Qn obtained in the first field is subtracted from the image signal based on the signal charge Qs obtained in the second field.
US07710479B2
A CMOS image sensor includes column-parallel ADCs. Each of the ADCs includes a comparator and an up/down counter. With this configuration, digital values of pixels in a plurality of rows can be added without using additional circuits, such as an adder and a line memory device, and the frame rate can be increased while maintaining constant sensitivity.
US07710475B2
A solid-state image pickup device including a layered structure which includes an electric-charge transfer section The photosensors include a first photosensor particularly sensitive to light of a first wavelength and a second photosensor particularly sensitive to light of a second wavelength shorter than the first wavelength. The first photosensor and the second photosensor are adjacently located but separated by a potential barrier section. A read gate located beneath the first photosensor and transports electric charge from the first photosensor to an electric-charge transfer section located beneath the second photosensor.
US07710473B2
A smear-correcting device that corrects a smear of an image signal from a CCD having photoelectric conversion elements including a smear-correcting photoelectric conversion element, is provided and includes: a determining section determining whether a smear component is contained in an image signal from the photoelectric conversion elements other than the smear-correcting photoelectric conversion element, based on a corresponding smear-correcting signal from the smear-correcting photoelectric conversion element; a section correcting the smear of the image signal determined to contain the smear component, based on the corresponding smear-correcting signal; and an output section that outputs an image signal. When the determining section determines that the image signal contains a smear component, the output section outputs the image signal after correcting a smear of the image signal, and when the determining section determines that the image signal does not contains the smear component, the output section outputs the image signal without smear correction.
US07710465B2
An image capturing apparatus (210) for providing an image (214) of a scene (12) that is within a fluid (16) includes an apparatus frame (228), a capturing system (230), and a control system (236). The capturing system (230) captures a captured image (614A). The control system (236) adjusts a color content of the captured image (614A) based on a clarity of the fluid (16). The image capturing apparatus (210) can include a clarity sensor (227) that provides a clarity signal that corresponds to the clarity of the fluid (16) near the image capturing apparatus (210). Moreover, the image capturing apparatus (210) can include an illumination system (724) that generates a generated light beam (726) that can be adjusted to compensate for the light that is attenuated by the fluid (16).
US07710462B2
A method randomly accesses multiview videos. Multiview videos are acquired of a scene with corresponding cameras arranged at poses, such that there is view overlap between any pair of cameras. V-frames are generated from the multiview videos. The V-frames are encoded using only spatial prediction. Then, the V-frames are inserted periodically in an encoded bitstream to provide random temporal access to the multiview videos.
US07710461B2
A motion-vector-setting section (31) sets a first motion vector in units of pixel in a target image. An exposure-time-ratio-setting section (32) sets in units of image an exposure time ratio that is a ratio between a time interval of the target image and a period of exposure time. A motion-blur-amount-setting section (33) sets a motion blur amount in units of pixel based on the exposure time ratio and the first motion vector. Based on the motion amount, a processing-region-setting section (36) sets processing regions as well as a processing-coefficient-setting section (37) sets processing coefficients. A pixel-value-generating section (38) generates pixel values that correspond to the target pixel from pixel values in the processing region and the processing coefficients. A motion-blur-adding section (41) adds a motion blur to an image containing the pixel value generated based on an input second motion vector and the first motion vector. An image-moving section (42) moves the motion-blur-added image along a counter vector of the second motion vector. Any more real arbitrary viewpoint image can be generated.
US07710459B2
A sensor mounting system for enabling image stabilization in a digital camera is described. An electronic array light sensor is moved in relation to other parts of the camera in response to camera motion. In one embodiment, the sensor is moved by at least one linear motor having a ferrofluid in a gap of the linear motor. Other aspects of the system are described, including methods of heat sinking the sensor, a suspension system, methods of compensating for an effect of temperature on the ferrofluid, and a compact magnet configuration for forming the linear motor and providing feedback as to the position of the sensor.
US07710455B2
On the basis of state change information acquired by one of sensor nodes forming a sensor network, an instruction indicative of emitting a signal is issued to another node to acquire a photographed image from a camera. An image processing device identifies the ID and actual position of the node by issuing the signal issuance instruction to the node and detecting a signal obtained from the node from the photographed image. On the basis of personal information stored in a database, the image processing device detects a not-allowed action.
US07710446B2
A light scanning unit includes: a light source generating and irradiating at least one beam corresponding to an image signal; a beam deflector deflecting and scanning the beam irradiated by the light source; and an f-θ lens forming an image from the beam deflected by the beam deflector onto a surface to be scanned, the f-θ lens being provided as one lens and satisfies the following equation (2): - 0.2 < SAG 1 + SAG 2 d 2 < 0.2 ( 2 ) where SAG 1 is Z value of an incident surface of the f-θ lens, which faces the beam deflector, SAG 2 is Z value of the exit surface of the f-θ lens, which faces the surface to be scanned, based on an XYZ coordinate system in which a main scanning plane is a Y-Z plane and a sub-scanning plane is an X-Z plane, and d2 is a center thickness of the f-θ lens.
US07710444B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that has an image carrier surface moving in a direction; a supporting member that faces the image carrier; a plurality of light emitting elements which are provided on a surface of the supporting member facing the image carrier and emit light to form a latent image on the image carrier; a roller which is arranged on the surface of the supporting member facing the image carrier such that a rotational shaft thereof extends in a direction traversing an image carrier surface; and an urging unit which urge the supporting member against the image carrier so that the roller comes into contact with the image carrier.
US07710436B2
The present invention generates a color template design. According to one aspect, a source image is selected. Colors of a selected template design are adjusted automatically based on placement of a cursor on a source image that is separate from the template design. The adjusted color on the template design may match the color of the source image. Alternatively, a color template design system may be configured to adjust the color to a contrast or any predetermined variation of the color of the source image. The system may display the selected template design after automatically adjusting colors and store the selected template design for use as a template. The template design may include a framing portion, a mat portion, a foreground portion, and a background portion and at least one of those portions may be adjusted based on the placement of the cursor on the source image.
US07710431B2
An object collation method comprising a registration procedure for registering the registered data of a registered object in a database, and a collation procedure for collating the input image of a target object with the registered data. The registration procedure includes a step of storing the three-dimensional shape of the registered object and a texture space defined by a texture group indicating the luminance and/or color information of each position of the object surface under various illumination conditions. The collation procedure includes the steps of: generating an illumination fluctuation space defined by the image group under the various illumination conditions, at the location and position of the target object in the input image from the three-dimensional shape and the texture space; and collating the target object and the registered object based on the distance between the illumination fluctuation space and the input image.
US07710422B2
Methods for rendering font objects include: receiving input identifying an object to be rendered; selecting a data set for rendering the object from: (a) a first data set including font object data in a first format (e.g., trajectory data), and (b) a second data set including font object data in a second format (e.g., outline data); and rendering the object using the selected data set. The data set may be selected based on at least one run time parameter, such as the ppem or space available for the rendering, the desired text size, system resolution, font object complexity, contextual information, etc., to provide a high quality rendered image. Additional data sets (e.g., augmenting data, enhancing data, etc.) may be included to provide more rendering options to further increase the quality of the rendered image under some conditions. The various data sets may be independently created so that each data set can be produced specifically targeted to selected rendering conditions (such as a selected ppem range).
US07710419B2
An image generation system including a vertex processing section and a pixel processing section. When subjecting an object which is distant from a virtual camera to predetermined processing which is implemented by a first processing and a second processing, the vertex processing section performs the first processing with a processing load lower than a processing load of the second processing, and the pixel processing section performs the second processing. When subjecting an object which is close to the virtual camera to the predetermined processing which is implemented by a third processing and a fourth processing, the vertex processing section performs the third processing with a processing load higher than a processing load of the fourth processing, and the pixel processing section performs the fourth processing.
US07710409B2
Improved approaches for users of computing devices to interact with graphical user interfaces are described. According to one aspect, a rotational user action supplied by a user at a user input device is transformed into linear action with respect to a graphical user interface. According to another aspect, a portion of an extended list of items is displayed by a graphical user interface and, through rotational user actions at a user input device, the portion of the list being displayed can be varied with welcomed ease of use. Although the type of computing device can vary, the improved approaches are particularly well-suited for use with a portable media player.
US07710407B2
The present disclosure discloses an object position detector. The object position detector comprises a touch sensor formed as a closed loop and having a physical constraint formed on an upper surface of the touch sensor and coextensive with the closed loop. The touch sensor is configured to sense motion of an object proximate to the closed loop. The object position detector also comprises a processor coupled to the touch sensor and is programmed to generate an action in response to the motion on the touch sensor.
US07710405B2
A capacitive keypad and/or touchpad construction includes a flexible or rigid printed circuit board and a non-conductive keypad/touchpad top surface layer. A semi-conductive adhesive layer in between said flexible or rigid printed circuit board and said non-conductive keypad/touchpad top surface layer serves both to connect the top surface layer to the printed circuit board and to act as capacitive sensing layer.
US07710383B2
A method of driving an electro-optical device that has a plurality of pixel circuits provided so as to correspond to intersections of a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines, a first scanning line driving circuit for selecting odd-numbered scanning lines, a second scanning line driving circuit for selecting even-numbered scanning lines, and a data line driving circuit for supplying data signals corresponding to the selected scanning line through the data lines. The method includes, in a first mode, supplying enable signals having different phases to the first and second scanning line driving circuits, respectively, so as to alternately select odd-numbered and even-numbered scanning lines, and, in a second mode different from the first mode, supplying enable signals having the same phase to the first and second scanning line driving circuits, respectively, so as to simultaneously select adjacent odd-numbered and even-numbered scanning lines two by two.
US07710381B2
In an active matrix type display device including two source line side drivers for driving a plurality of pixel TFTs, one gate line side driver, two line memories respectively including at least first and second memories, and a controller for controlling the first and second line memories, storing and transmitting of picture data of the two line memories are switched to transmit the data to the two source line side drivers at the same time.
US07710380B2
A liquid crystal display control circuit comprising a counter, inputted with a first signal for controlling a display status of a display unit and a second signal corresponding to an image data to be displayed on the display unit, for counting clocks for the second signal in 1 cycle of the first signal and for outputting the count value, a latch circuit for latching the number of clocks for the second signal included in 1 cycle of the first signal and for outputting the number of CLKs in 1 cycle, a reference count value circuit for generating a reference count value according to the number of CLKs in 1 cycle, and a comparator for generating a driver control signal that changes a current capacity of the driver unit according to the reference count value and the count value.
US07710377B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display panel having gate drivers. The LCD panel includes a gate line shift circuit setting a gate line scanning order such that the gate lines are sequentially scanned in units of n gate lines with k−1 gate lines between each pair of adjacent gate lines in each unit according to an interleaving method in response to a gate line-on signal received from a timing control unit outside the LCD panel, wherein the LCD panel reproduces source data output from a source driver outside the LCD panel in the gate line scanning order set by the gate line shift circuit. The LCD panel inverts the polarity of a common voltage for every unit of n gate lines, instead of every gate line, thereby reducing power consumption. In addition, since every kth gate line is scanned according to the interleaving method, deterioration of image quality such as a flickering phenomenon can be prevented, which is an advantage of a line inversion driving method.
US07710373B2
A liquid crystal display device is composed of first and second data lines, first and second operational amplifiers, and a short-circuiting circuit. The first operational amplifier is configured to drive the first data line to a potential of a first polarity during a first period, and to drive the second data line to a potential to the first polarity during a second period following the first period. The second operational amplifier is configured to drive the second data line to a potential of a second polarity complementary to the first polarity during the first period, and to drive the first data line to a potential to the second polarity during the second period. The short-circuiting circuit is configured to short-circuit the first and second data lines during a short-circuiting period between the first and second periods. Drive capabilities of the first and second operational amplifiers are controlled in response to a short-circuit potential of the first and second data lines during the short-circuiting period.
US07710362B2
An electron emission display (EED) includes an anode and a panel electrode unit comprising a scan electrode that extends in one direction of a lattice type panel and a data electrode that extends across the scan electrode. In the display and a method of driving the same, when power is supplied to the electron emission display, an anode voltage is applied to drive the anode, and a voltage is applied to at least one electrode of the panel electrode unit when the anode voltage is equal to or higher than a reference voltage.
US07710361B2
A plasma display apparatus and a method of driving the same are disclosed. In the plasma display apparatus, a relative time ratio of one of a reset period, an address period or a sustain period of an r-th subfield of each of a p-th frame and a q-th frame is substantially equal to each other at a reference time point of the r-th subfield of each of the p-th frame and the q-th frame. The relative time ratio is the ratio of a duration of a portion of one period of a reset period, an address period or a sustain period in one subfield to a total duration of one period. The duration of the portion ranges from a start time point of one period to the reference time point.
US07710359B2
A display apparatus driving method for a field time division type display apparatus displays grayscale by combining a plurality of subfields into which one field has been divided. Each subfield includes a resetting, an addressing, and a sustaining. At least one extra subfield is additionally provided which does not have a resetting, and which stays always ON with a luminance level higher than a prescribed input luminance level.
US07710340B2
An antenna system for generating and configuring at least one defocused beam is provided. The antenna system includes a reflector having a focal plane and a non-parabolic curvature for forming the at least one defocused beam, and a plurality of feed antennas that illuminate the reflector. Each feed antenna is disposed in the focal plane of the reflector. The antenna system further includes at least one incoming signal dividing network that divides at least one incoming signal into a plurality of sub-signals, each corresponding to one of the feed antennas, a plurality of variable phase shifters, each receiving one of the sub-signals from the incoming signal dividing network and phase shifting the sub-signal to generate a corresponding phase-shifted sub-signal, and a plurality of fixed-amplitude amplifiers, at least one corresponding to each of the feed antennas. The at least one amplifier for each feed antenna amplifies the corresponding phase-shifted sub-signal to generate an amplified phase-shifted sub-signal which is provided to the corresponding feed antenna.
US07710335B2
An antenna assembly is disclosed. The antenna assembly includes a dual band vertical loop wire antenna extending from a printed circuit board positioned over a ground plane, wherein the wire antenna includes: at least one coiled section, at least one straight wire section, and at least one feeding post section.
US07710329B2
A system including an inter-chip communication system is disclosed. One embodiment includes a base chip including a base chip transceiver network. At least one chip is stacked on the base chip, the at least one stacked chip including a substrate, a cavity formed in the substrate, a first surface, and a stacked chip transceiver network disposed on the first surface adjacent to the cavity.
US07710326B2
A plurality of antenna clusters form an antenna array used in microwave imaging. Each antenna cluster has at least two antenna elements and an active device. The active device controls the two antenna elements to direct microwave radiation to and from an object to capture a microwave image of the object.
US07710323B2
An antenna system comprising a first multi-layer Printed Circuit Board having multiple antenna elements disposed thereon, at least a second multi-layer PCB, which is mounted below the first multi-layer PCB, and which comprises electronic components for processing Radio Frequency signals received by the antenna elements; and multiple RF transitions, which are mounted between the first and second multi-layer PCBs and are operative to transfer the RF signals from the first multi-layer PCB for processing by the electronic components in the second multi-layer PCB.
US07710322B1
An ultra wideband (UWB) or short-pulse RF system is disclosed that can be used to precisely locate or track objects (such as personnel, equipment, assets, etc.) in real-time in an arbitrarily large, physically connected or disconnected, multipath and/or noisy environment. A system implementation includes multiple zones or groups of receivers that receives RF signals transmitted by one or more timing reference tags and one or more objects having associated object tags. Each zone or group may share a common receiver. By combining a multiple reference tag system with a virtual group of receivers, i.e., a zoning technique or system, a cost-effective system can be provided that offers scalability and flexibility to monitor a significantly expanded coverage area.
US07710319B2
A method and apparatus for adaptive beam-steering are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises performing adaptive beam steering using multiple transmit and receive antennas, including iteratively performing a pair of training sequences, wherein the pair of training sequences includes estimating a transmitter antenna-array weight vector and a receiver antenna-array weight vector.
US07710315B2
A scan-to-scan integrator for use in radar apparatus comprises means for defining a search window for use in verifying a candidate detection. The window is bounded by the intersection of a first zone and a second zone, wherein the first zone comprises a rectangular reference frame aligned detection window, and the second zone comprises a range estimate tolerance region defined by a range estimate for the candidate detection and predetermined tolerance limits.
US07710314B2
A pulse radar ranging system having a measurement channel and a reference channel is described. In the measurement channel containing an antenna and a measurement target, the normal measurement is performed by processing an echo from the target. In the reference channel containing signal delay means, a reference echo is processed to obtain temperature compensation information.
US07710312B2
The radar apparatus includes an antenna device including a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna, a main body which generates a radar wave, transmits the radar wave from the transmitting antenna, and receives the radar wave reflected from an obstacle to be detected by the receiving antenna, and a cover member covering the main body and the antenna device on a side of a transmission direction of the radar wave and located out of contact with the main body and the antenna device. The cover member has a transmission portion allowing the radar wave to pass therethrough, a surface of the transmission portion facing the antenna device being inclined by an angle greater than 3 degrees with respect to an antenna surface of the receiving antenna.
US07710309B2
A method for small-scale fishing boat to avoid ship collision includes the steps of: (1) equipping the small-scale fishing boat with a radar signal receiver for scanning and receiving radar signals transmitted by other ships within the receiving range of the radar signal receiver; (2) using a monitoring computer having a Marine Geographic Information System (Marine GIS) installed thereon to obtain at real time information about the distance, bearings, and etc. of other approaching ships in order to monitor the dynamic conditions of the approaching ships within the fishing boat's operating water area; and (3) actuating a collision warning mechanism based on the intensities of received radar signals when there is more than one approaching ship, so that the small-scale fishing boat can timely receive a collision warning to reduce the risk of collision and maintain safe and smooth voyage on the sea.
US07710308B2
It is related to a mode S secondary surveillance radar system for carrying out a target (aircraft) surveillance with a high reliability, where a surveillance processor 39 produces a detection report of a acquisition surveillance by a scan of an antenna thereafter by adopting the mode A code information with coinciding code data among mode A code information acquired by scans of a plurality of times. In this way, the efficient utilization of RF channels during the roll-call period can be maintained while improving the reliability of a target detection report.
US07710297B2
This apparatus includes a generator which generates a reference matrix having a correlation with an information matrix to be coded from the information matrix. A classifier classifies matrix components around the ith row component of the reference matrix, and generates a set of matrix components equal in distance from the ith row component. A calculator forms a context tree including a plurality of internal nodes corresponding to the matrix components of the set, and a plurality of branches and a plurality of leaf nodes which have one-to-one correspondence with the symbols of the components, associates a sequence of the symbols with a path extending from the leaf node to the root node of the context tree, and calculates the coding probability of the ith row/jth column component of the information matrix. A coder arithmetically codes the ith row/jth column component of the information matrix in accordance with the coding probability.
US07710289B2
A communication apparatus with an anti-theft mode is provided. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus includes an input unit and a CPU. The input unit is for generating an operational signal in response to an operational input. The CPU is for receiving an anti-theft mode signal and setting the communication apparatus in an anti-theft mode, and disabling communication functions of the communication apparatus when the operational signal received from the input unit is a communication operational signal and the communication apparatus is in the anti-theft mode.
US07710288B2
A self-powered sensor detects or measures an event by converting one form of energy into another form. The converted energy may be conditioned and regulated to drive a wireless transmitter and encoder. A receiver may detect and validate a received message. If validated, the message may be processed or decrypted and processed to determine what has been identified or requested.
US07710283B1
A fluid-level sensing device that uses the interaction of a first magnet attached to the distal end of an external micro switch arm and a second magnet positioned within the distal end of a pivoting float body to close a circuit within the micro switch and create a shut-off signal to stop fluid production. A single housing holds the micro switch and float body, wherein magnetic forces acting through the housing wall between them and other magnet-positioning materials that separate the two magnets cause signal production. After float body deployment, manual reset of the float body is accomplished via its lever-like distal end. The main body of the micro switch, which it is snap-fit into a fixed position within the upper housing chamber for use, is entirely encapsulated in waterproof material to protect it from corrosion. Alternative ways for quick mounting of the housing to a fluid-collecting pan are contemplated.
US07710270B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device including an RFID which can transmit/receive individual information without a change of a battery accompanied by deterioration over time of the battery as a drive power source, and to which driving power can be supplied to keep a favorable transmission/reception state of the individual information even when an external electromagnetic wave is not sufficient. The semiconductor device includes a signal processing circuit, a first antenna circuit and a second antenna circuit operationally connected to the signal processing circuit, and a battery operationally connected to the signal processing circuit, in which the first antenna circuit transmits/receives a signal for transmitting data stored in the signal processing circuit; the second antenna circuit receives a signal for charging the battery; and a signal received by the first antenna circuit and a signal received by the second antenna circuit have different wavelengths.
US07710269B2
An identifying coding apparatus employing modulated reflectance technology involving a base station emitting a RF signal, with a tag, located remotely from the base station, and containing at least one antenna and predetermined other passive circuit components, receiving the RF signal and reflecting back to the base station a modulated signal indicative of characteristics related to the tag.
US07710263B2
A pet escape notification system for notifying a pet owner when a pet has escaped from a predefined boundary. The escape notification system is used in association with an electronic animal containment system for maintaining a pet within the predefined boundary. A pet unit transmitter is provided for delivering a proximity alert signal to a base unit when the pet unit receives a transmitting antenna signal. After receiving the proximity alert signal, the base unit begins sending a location inquiry signal to the pet unit. Upon receipt of the location inquiry signal, the pet unit broadcasts a location inquiry response signal. If the location inquiry response signal is received by the base unit receiver, the base unit processing unit determines that the pet is still within or close to the boundary. Otherwise the base unit controller activates a communication network to notify the pet owner that the pet has escaped.
US07710252B2
A meter display device includes a display panel that can display a plurality of different types of display information on the same position. The display information includes, at the least, first display information related to a hybrid vehicle and second display information related to the hybrid vehicle. The meter display device also includes a meter control unit that performs control such that any one of the plurality of different types of display information are displayed on the display panel.
US07710250B2
A system for verifying fuel cap engagement utilizes a transducer coupled to a purge line of a fuel vapor recovery system to generate an electrical signal corresponding to one of the vapor pressure and the vapor flow rate in the purge line. A monitor receives the electrical signal and estimates the vapor pressure when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor flow rate. The monitor likewise estimates the vapor flow rate when the electrical signal corresponds to the vapor pressure. The monitor also correlates the electrical signal and the estimate to generate a dataset relating vapor pressures to corresponding vapor flow rates at predetermined time intervals, computes a linear approximation of pressure versus flow rate, and computes a curve approximation of pressure versus flow rate. An indicator is actuated by the monitor when the difference between the computed linear and curve approximations is less than a predetermined threshold value.
US07710245B2
A security system for remotely locking and unlocking closure members of a motor vehicle 10 is disclosed in which a hand gesture recognition device is associated with a keyless entry system having a security device 23 and a portable unit 19. The hand gesture recognition device includes at least one sensitised area 25 for detecting a hand gesture, an input/output device positioned in the passenger compartment for selecting or creating at least one pattern gesture which can be recognised by the sensitised area 25 and a gesture recognition module for transmitting an authorized code signal to the security device 23 upon recognition of the selected or created gesture over the sensitized area. Such a gesture pattern can easily be modified from the I/O device by the user and ensure an improved security to a conventional keyless entry system.
US07710242B2
A contactless information storage device for use in an information access system includes a receiver unit and a transmitter unit. The receiver unit is operable to sense a carrier at a first frequency in a slave mode and be continuously ready to receive an RF signal at a second frequency different from the first frequency in a master mode. In the slave mode, the transmitter unit transmits a response signal at the second frequency in response to reception of an information request signal. In the master mode, the transmitter unit cyclically transmits an information request signal at the first frequency in a transmission period and goes into an inactive state in a sleep period. In the slave mode, the transmitter unit and the receiver unit are caused to go into the master mode, when the receiver unit receives no information request signal in a time period longer than given periods.
US07710238B2
A mobile terminal circuit for transmitting radio frequency identification (RFID) data to an RFID reader. The mobile terminal circuit comprises an antenna for communication with the RFID reader; a memory portion for storing RFID data together with mobile terminal protocol data; a codec for encoding the RFID data into RFID codec data; a modulator connected to the codec, for modulating the RFID codec data into RFID modulation data; a processor connected to the memory portion, for extracting RFID data stored in the memory portion and delivering the extracted RFID data to the codec; a detector connected to the antenna and the processor, for informing the processor of approach of the RFID reader; a first clock generator connected to the processor and the memory portion, for providing operation timing to the processor and the memory portion; and a second clock generator connected to the first clock generator, the codec and the modulator, for providing operation timing to the codec and the modulator.
US07710225B2
The present invention provides the actuator, which is capable of preventing biased abrasion by lowering a surface pressure at a contact portion of a movable element with a guide surface and increasing a movable range, in which a specified output force can be gained. Magnetic resistance of at least one of the surfaces (Y1, Y2) of first and second yoke parts (5, 6) corresponding to peripheral surfaces (P1, P2) of a plunger (7), on which magnetic flux acting surfaces are formed by energization, is unbalanced in the circumferential direction so as to act a resultant force of magnetic forces acting on the movable element in the radial direction eccentrically to a radial one end (E1) side.
US07710224B2
An electromagnetic relay enables current to pass through switch termini and comprises a coil assembly, a rotor or bridge assembly, and a switch assembly. The coil assembly comprises a coil and a C-shaped core. The coil is wound round a coil axis extending through the core. The core comprises core termini parallel to the coil axis. The bridge assembly comprises a bridge and an actuator. The bridge comprises medial, lateral, and transverse field pathways. The actuator extends laterally from the lateral field pathway. The core termini are coplanar with the axis of rotation and received intermediate the medial and lateral field pathways. The actuator is cooperable with the switch assembly. The coil creates a magnetic field directable through the bridge assembly via the core termini for imparting bridge rotation about the axis of rotation. The bridge rotation displaces the actuator for opening and closing the switch assembly.
US07710213B2
A circuit for voltage limitation is provided in a transponder with a resonant circuit, which comprises at least one inductor, a capacitor, a depletion layer component with an input, output, and a control input, a first resonant circuit terminal, which is connected to the input of the depletion layer element, and a second resonant circuit terminal, which is connected to the output of the depletion layer element, whereby there is a connection between the control input of the depletion layer component and the first resonant circuit terminal and the second resonant circuit terminal. A method for voltage limitation in a transponder is provided, whereby for voltage limitation in the transmitting and receiving resonant circuit, the control terminal of the depletion layer element is driven by the voltage of the first and second resonant circuit terminal.
US07710205B2
A method and apparatus for detecting capacitive devices are disclosed. A circuit including two circuit paths is connected to an oscillator voltage source. Connecting a test capacitive device to a path of the circuit modifies the electric potential waveform at a point along the path. Passing the first circuit path through a reference comparator and the second circuit path through a phase-shifting comparator produces two output signals that are phase-shifted with respect to each other when the test capacitive device is functional. Analysis of the output signals allows detection or measurement of the test capacitive device.
US07710197B2
A system for processing a signal is provided. The system includes a differential amplifier receiving a radio-frequency input signal at a first differential input. A rectifying device such as a transistor has a control terminal that is coupled to an output of the differential amplifier and an output that is coupled to a second differential input of the differential amplifier. The second differential input of the differential amplifier receives a low frequency feedback signal from the output of the rectifying device, such as by damping the frequency response at the output of the rectifying device using a capacitor and a current source coupled to the output of the rectifying device.
US07710192B2
An integrated circuit is partitioned into two or more sub-circuits, each sub-circuit including two supply terminals across which to receive supply voltage. The sub-circuits are connected in series with the first sub-circuit receiving input voltage at its first supply terminal, and the voltage level output at the second supply terminal of the first sub-circuit being used as input voltage level in a second sub-circuit. Further, a control-circuit is configured to balance voltage drops across the sub-circuits and to maintain constant voltage-drops over the sub-circuits. The control-circuit includes two buffer capacitors, each coupled in parallel over one of the two sub-circuits respectively. The control-circuit also includes at least one bucket capacitor alternately coupled in parallel over the first and the second buffer capacitor through a switching system controlled by a toggling signal.
US07710182B2
The present invention relates to integrated circuits. In particular, it relates to an IC comprising a receiving stage for receiving an input signal, an output stage for generating an output signal having a larger voltage range than the input signal and a level shifter. Embodiments of the invention provide a structure and a method for fabricating the IC wherein the level shifter is incorporated within the IC to improve reliability of the IC.
US07710177B2
A latch of an integrated circuit is able to retain data at the latch when the integrated circuit is in a low-power mode. The latch retains data at a retention stage in response to assertion of an isolation signal. In response to a reference voltage supplied to the latch being restored to a normal operating voltage, indicating that the integrated circuit has transitioned from the low-power mode to a normal mode, a data restoration circuit provides the retained data at the output of the latch prior to negation of the isolation signal. This reduces the likelihood that a delay in negation of the isolation signal will result in the latch output providing incorrect data, thereby reducing the likelihood of the latch output causing errors in downstream elements of the integrated circuit.
US07710173B2
A duty cycle correction circuit and a delay locked loop circuit including the same are capable of reducing area and power consumption of a circuit. The delay locked loop circuit includes a delay locked loop unit, a delay controller, a duty cycle ratio correction circuit, and a duty cycle ratio detector. The delay locked loop unit outputs an internal clock by delaying an external clock in order to compensate a clock skew. The delay controller outputs a delay internal clock by delaying the internal clock in response to correction signals. The duty cycle ratio correction circuit outputs an internal correction clock by increasing or decreasing a high level section of the internal clock according to the correction signals. The duty cycle ratio detector outputs the correction signals in accordance with a duty cycle ratio of the internal correction clock.
US07710155B2
A dynamic latch includes a first stage for receiving an input data value and for providing true and complement logic values representing the input data value; a second stage for receiving the true and complement logic values into first and second dynamic node, when a control signal is active; and a holding that outputs the true and complement logic values while the control signal is active. The second stage may provide a feedback signal to the first stage to block propagation of changes in the input data value after the true and complement logic values have been received. The feedback signal may be derived, for example, from logic values on the dynamic nodes. A holding circuit may be provided.
US07710150B2
An input signal is routed to a first logic one reference signal generator or alternatively routed to a second logic one reference signal generator based at least one a voltage level of the input signal. When the voltage level of the input signal is less than a threshold value, the first logic one reference signal generator selectively generates a first logic one reference signal. When the voltage level of the input signal is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the second logic one reference signal generator alternatively generates a second logic one reference signal. The first and second logic one reference signals may be used to control a first voltage scaling circuit that drives a scaled output signal having a logic one value corresponding to the voltage level of the first logic one reference signal.
US07710146B1
A system for configuring programmable logic devices includes a serial data bus, a first device to fan-out data signals on the serial data bus, a second device to fan-in data signals on the serial data bus, and a control device that uses the first device and the second device to configure the serial data bus. The system configures a set of programmable logic devices by using the control device to configure the serial data bus such that the set of programmable logic devices are in communication with the serial data bus, and by sending configuration information to the set of programmable logic devices. A method for configuring programmable logic devices includes configuring a first programmable logic device such that the first programmable logic device includes signaling logic to fan-out configuration information, and using the first programmable logic device to configure at least two secondary programmable logic devices in parallel using the signaling logic to fan-out configuration information.
US07710116B2
This invention relates to a method for improving the performance of a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system by reducing, during reception, the coupling between one or more excitation coils that provide a radio frequency magnetic field that excites quadrupole nuclei, and one or more high temperature superconductor receive coils that detect the resulting nuclear quadrupole resonance signal.
US07710106B2
A wafer-scale probe card for temporary electrical contact to a sample wafer or other device, for burn-in and test. The card includes a plurality of directly metallized single-walled or multi-walled nanotubes contacting a pre-arranged electrical contact pattern on the probe card substrate. The nanotubes are arranged into bundles for forming electrical contacts between areas of the device under test and the probe card. The bundles are compressible along their length to allow a compressive force to be used for contacting the probe card substrate to the device under test. A strengthening material may be disposed around and/or infiltrate the bundles. The nanotubes forming the bundles may be patterned to provide a pre-determined bundle profile. Tips of the bundles may be metallized with a conductive material to form a conformal coating on the bundles; or metallized with a conductive material to form a continuous, single contact surface.
US07710097B2
There is provided a power supply for an electrical device operable in active mode and in standby mode. The power supply comprises a transformer having a primary winding on the primary side and a secondary winding on the secondary side. The primary winding is connectable to an AC voltage supply and is arranged to comprise N turns when the electrical device is in active mode and more than N turns when the electrical device is in standby mode. Circuitry on the secondary side is arranged to provide an output voltage for the electrical device during active mode.
US07710091B2
The present invention discloses an LDO (Low DropOut) linear voltage regulator, which is based on an NMC (Nested Miller Compensation) architecture and can be capacitor-free, wherein an active resistor is added to the feedback path of the Miller compensation capacitor to increase the controllability of the damping factor, solve the problem of extensively using the output capacitor with a parasitic resistance, and solve the problem that a compromise must be made between the damping factor control and the system loop gain. Further, the present invention utilizes a capacitor-sharing technique to reduce the Miller capacitance required by the entire system and accelerate the stabilization of output voltage without influencing stability.
US07710086B1
A high voltage power supply for use in a system such as a microfluidics system, uses a DC-DC converter in parallel with a voltage-controlled resistor. A feedback circuit provides a control signal for the DC-DC converter and voltage-controlled resistor so as to regulate the output voltage of the high voltage power supply, as well as, to sink or source current from the high voltage supply.
US07710084B1
A sample and hold inductor current sense configuration senses inductor current flowing through an output inductor of a voltage regulator and generates an average of the sensed inductor current. The average of the sensed inductor current may be generated from samples of peaks and valleys of the sensed inductor current. For example, the peak of the sensed inductor current may be stored in a first capacitor and the valley of the sensed inductor current may be stored in a second capacitor. The first and second capacitors may be coupled together to generate the average of the sensed inductor current. The average of the sensed inductor current may be provided to a droop control circuit to control droop of an output voltage of the voltage regulator. An input offset voltage of a current sense amplifier sensing the inductor current may be calibrated between samplings of the sensed inductor current.
US07710077B2
Techniques for high performance inverter charger systems are described herein. In one embodiment, a power supply system includes, but is not limited to, an inverter to generate an AC (alternating current) output based on a DC (direct current) input, a current sensing circuit coupled to the inverter to sense an amount of current drawn from the inverter, and a microcontroller coupled to the inverter and the current sensing circuit to reduce the AC output of the inverter according to a predetermined algorithm stored within the microcontroller, in response to a detection that the amount of current drops below a predetermined threshold. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07710074B2
Residual charge in a battery is measured based on a discharge voltage from the battery. A device for measuring the residual charge in the battery includes a fluctuation width amplifier configured to amplify a fluctuation width of a discharge voltage from the battery in excess of a threshold voltage. The device includes a display module configured to display the discharge voltage amplified by the fluctuation width amplifier. The discharge voltage amplified by the fluctuation width amplifier corresponds to the residual charge in the battery. The residual charge in the battery may be determined based on the discharge voltage and the application load data due to an operative application program.
US07710073B2
A secondary battery module includes a battery information storage unit for storing electric characteristic information and usage history information of the secondary battery module. A battery information management device and a terminal device respectively include interfaces to be connected to the secondary battery module. The battery information management device is provided with a battery information database. The battery information management device is connected to the terminal device through a communications network. In this way, battery information stored in the battery information storage unit, which is acquired by the battery information management device and the terminal device, is accumulated in the battery information database. Moreover, the battery information management device grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on the battery information and a predetermined threshold.
US07710061B2
A motor control amplifier for position feedback control is provided utilizing the inherent inductor and/or resistor dynamics of the motor. The motor control amplifier applies a voltage to the motor equivalent to the electrical motor resistance multiplied by the current of the motor, canceling out the electrical motor resistance, and thereby providing position feedback control through motor inductance. A command term/voltage could be added to make the position feedback control relative to a setpoint. Further, a motor control amplifier for feedback control to arbitrary dynamics is provided. The motor amplifier applies a voltage proportional to a wave command signal. The motor amplifier has a sensing component to provide a wave return signal to construct a wave transformer from the electrical motor resistance.
US07710060B2
The invention relates to a method for managing systems provided with redundant actuators of the type comprising at least a first system operating according to a first set of variables, representative of a physical quantity to be controlled and a second system operating according to a second set of said variables, representative of a physical quantity to be controlled, said first set of variables and second set of variables identifying one or more redundant variables. The method comprises the operations of commanding the actuators of the system through a numeric control unit and a servo control module to follow trajectories of the variables as a function of a set sequence.
US07710054B2
A motor controller for a direct current motor includes a first node receiving first PWM signals having a duty cycle indicative of a desired rotational speed of said motor and an input node receiving second digital signals, the frequency of said second signals indicative of the rotational speed of said motor. A frequency-to-PWM circuit is coupled to the input node to provide second PWM signals having a duty cycle corresponding to the rotational speed of the motor. A duty cycle comparator has a first input coupled to the first node and a second input coupled to the second node to generate a control signal for controlling the rotational speed of the motor.
US07710052B2
A piezo-actuator is actuated in a first operating mode (B1) by pulsed supply of a first electrical variable for charging or discharging of the piezo-actuator taking into account at least one actuation parameter (P) for the piezo-actuator. The piezo-actuator is actuated in a second operating mode (B2) by non-pulsed introduction of the first electrical variable for charging or discharging of the piezo-actuator, to be precise with the first electrical variable having a predetermined profile which is substantially independent of any load change on the piezo-actuator (1). A profile of a second electrical variable of the piezo-actuator is recorded during at least one measurement time period while the predetermined profile of the first electrical variable is being applied. The at least one actuation parameter (P) of the piezo-actuator is determined as a function of the recorded profile of the second electrical variable.
US07710047B2
A system drives one or plurality of LEDs regulating their brightness by controlling LEDs average current or voltage. The system includes a switching power converter and an integrated digital regulator with at least one of electrical, thermal and optical feedbacks. The regulator is constructed as a hysteretic peak current mode controller for continuous mode of operation of the power converter. For discontinuous mode of operation of the power converter a pulse averaging sliding mode control is being used. Average LED current is measured by integrating LED pulse current at off time and hysteretically adjusting on time of the power switch. Input battery is protected from discharging at abnormally low impedance of the output.
US07710038B2
A ceramic discharge vessel is described that is provided a feedthrough comprised of a molybdenum alloy containing at least 75 weight percent molybdenum and greater than 5 weight percent of nickel and at least one other alloying metal selected from copper and iron, wherein the weight ratio of the amount of nickel to the combined amount of copper and iron, Ni:(Fe,Cu), in the alloy is in the range of 1:1 to 9:1. The thermal expansion coefficient of the alloy is sufficiently matched to that of the ceramic so that the feedthrough may be sealed to the discharge vessel without causing cracking. Preferably, the feedthrough is directly sealed to the ceramic discharge vessel without the use of an intermediate frit material.
US07710035B2
A plasma display apparatus is disclosed. The plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel and a filter positioned in front of the plasma display panel. The filter includes a near infrared ray shielding layer that absorbs or reflects near infrared rays. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate, a rear substrate, and a barrier rib, formed between the front and rear substrates, partitioning a discharge cell. An exhaust unit is omitted in the rear substrate. The discharge cell is filled with a discharge gas containing xenon (Xe) equal to or more than 10% based on total weight of the discharge gas.
US07710033B2
Display panel comprising two plates leaving between them a sealed space that is filled with a discharge gas and is partitioned into discharge cells bounded between these plates by barrier ribs made of a mineral material comprising a mineral binder based on a hydraulic binder, and a mineral filler. By using a hydraulic binder instead of a glassy mineral binder, the display panels may be manufactured at lower temperature.
US07710029B2
An organic EL display panel having a functional layer with a uniform film thickness is provided. The organic EL display panel of the present invention contains anode electrodes set on the substrate; organic EL layers set on the anode electrodes; line-state banks defining the organic EL layers in a line-state region; second banks defining two or more regions in the line-state region. The line-state banks and the second banks contain a fluorine resin, a fluorine concentration of the fluorine resin gradually changes along a thickness direction of each of the line-state bank and the second bank, and the fluorine concentration at a top of each of the line-state bank and the second bank is higher than the fluorine concentration at a bottom surface of each of the line-state bank and the second bank.
US07710027B2
The invention provides an organic EL apparatus including a substrate, a pair of electrodes formed on the substrate, and a light emitting layer disposed between the electrodes is provided in order to implement a light emitting apparatus and an electronic device which decrease reflections in a display of the organic EL apparatus, and to enhance display quality. The substrate includes a transparent substrate, the pair of the electrodes is an anode disposed on the light emitting layer at the substrate side, and a cathode disposed on the light emitting layer at an opposite side of the substrate. A semi-reflection film is disposed near the anode. The semi-reflection film transmits a part of external light incident on the organic EL apparatus from the substrate, and reflects a part of the light other than the light transmitted.
US07710010B2
A three-dimensional structure forming a space in which a wiring-side portion of a device electrode is located is arranged on a rear plate. A surface potential of the three-dimensional structure is defined so that an electric field intensity of the space becomes weaker than an average electric field intensity expressed below, average electric field intensity=Va/d, where Va is application voltage of an anode electrode, and d is an interval between a rear plate and the face plate. The device electrode includes a high-temperature portion where temperature locally rises when current flows through the device electrode. The high-temperature portion is positioned in the space or at a distance of less than or equal to 20 μm from the space.
US07710008B2
A field emission electron source (10) includes a conductive base (12), a carbon nanotube (14), and a film of metal (16). The conductive base includes a top (122). One end (142) of the carbon nanotube is electrically connected with the top of the conductive base. The other end (144) of the carbon nanotube extends outwardly away from the top of the conductive base. The film of metal is formed on the nearly entire surface of the carbon nanotube and at least on the portion of the top of the conductive base proximate the carbon nanotube. A method for manufacturing the described field emission electron source is also provided.
US07709993B2
A continuous direct current generator comprises a plurality of windings, each being adapted to rotate between two magnetic fields and in unison with a rotator having a plurality of brush contacts. The windings are electrically connected to the brush contacts which deliver current to a split anode-cathode ring within which the rotator rotates. The windings are connected to the brush contacts so as to deliver substantially continuous direct current to the anode-cathode output.
US07709991B2
A rotor for an electric machine includes a shaft that is rotatable about an axis and defines a first diameter normal to the axis. A first core portion defines a first aperture having a first aperture diameter that is larger than the first diameter. The first core portion is positioned adjacent the shaft to define a first space. A second core portion defines a second aperture having a second aperture diameter that is larger than the first diameter. The second core portion is positioned adjacent the shaft to define a second space. A damping member is positioned in the first space and the second space. The damping member at least partially interconnects the shaft, the first core portion, and the second core portion.
US07709990B2
The present invention relates to a power-wrench comprising an electrical converter-fed motor having a permanent-magnetized rotor and a stator provided with winding, the motor winding (1) comprising at least two winding parts, which independently of each other are connected and disconnected by a switch-over device (4). According to the invention, a first winding part (2) may be arranged to control the magnetic field of the motor so that the motor, having the first winding part (2) connected, is adapted for the threading-down phase of the nut driving and operates with low torque and high number of revolutions adapted to said phase, as well as that a second winding part (3) may be arranged to control the magnetic field of the motor so that the motor, having the second winding part (3) connected, is adapted for the final-threading phase of the nut driving and operates with high torque and low number of revolutions adapted to said phase.
US07709989B2
A combination of a unique construction format, involving two sets of rotor and stator embodiments, working in co-operation with each other, in a unique fixed, direct-axis and quadrature-axis orientation, and with unique field-winding, back-EMF cancellation, connection schemes to substantially negate the field-winding harmonic currents in the field-winding excitation circuits, and provide for a substantially square-wave shaped, open-terminal, armature output-voltage characteristic.
US07709982B2
A brushless motor has a first coupler that includes a molded body with an annular member and a plug integrally combined with a peripheral side wall of the annular member. The plug houses terminal rods therein. Bridges project radially inward from an inner peripheral wall surface of the annular member. Connectors joined to respective leads that extend from an electromagnetic coil are mounted on radial inner ends of the bridges. The bridges axe provided in pairs of adjacent bridges. In each of such pairs, the bridges project in parallel with each other from an inner peripheral wall surface of the annular member.
US07709980B2
The invention includes an electric machine having a rotor, stator and at least one winding in the stator adapted to conduct a current, and a secondary winding, electrically isolated from the first winding and inductively coupled to the first winding, which may be used to control at least one of the output voltage and current of the first winding.
US07709978B2
It is normal practice in automation to network individual components of an installation via bus lines, with this network carrying out a multiplicity of communication and supply tasks during operation. In at least one embodiment, a system interface, as well as an installation which uses this interface, are disclosed with the operational reliability of the installation being improved. In at least one embodiment, a system interface is proposed for connection of a bus line to an actuator assembly in a control system with a K connection for connection of a communication channel and with a K-U connection for connection of a communication voltage supply channel, and an A-U connection for connection of an actuator voltage supply channel.
US07709972B2
A wind turbine system is provided with a wind turbine rotor, a pitch control mechanism, and an emergency power supply mechanism. The wind turbine rotor includes a blade having a variable pitch angle. The pitch control mechanism drives the blade to control the pitch angle. The emergency power supply mechanism generates electric power from rotation of the wind turbine rotor and feeds the electric power to the pitch control mechanism, in response to occurrence of an accidental drop of a system voltage of a power grid.
US07709970B2
An electrical generator utilizes power produced by falling weights. Falling weights are connected to long arms which turn a shaft. The shaft, through a series of gears, provides power to the generator.
US07709969B2
A solid state imaging device having a back-illuminated type structure in which a lens is formed on the back side of a silicon layer with a light-receiving sensor portion being formed thereon. Insulating layers are buried into the silicon layer around an image pickup region, with the insulating layer being buried around a contact layer that connects an electrode layer of a pad portion and an interconnection layer of the surface side. A method of manufacturing such a solid-state imaging device is also provided.
US07709967B2
An interconnect structure, method of fabricating the interconnect structure and method of designing the interconnect structure for use in semiconductor devices. The interconnect structure includes a damascene metal wire having a pattern of dielectric filled holes.
US07709942B2
A semiconductor package includes a base plate, at least one semiconductor constructing body which is formed on one surface of the base plate and has a plurality of external connection electrodes formed on a semiconductor substrate, an insulating layer which is formed on one surface of the base plate around the semiconductor constructing body, upper interconnections which are formed on the insulating layer and each includes at least one interconnection layer, at least some of the upper interconnections are connected to the external connection electrodes of the semiconductor constructing body, lower interconnections which are formed on the other surface of the base plate and each includes at least one interconnection layer, and at least some of the lower interconnections which are electrically connected to the upper interconnections.
US07709935B2
A semiconductor device package includes an electrically conductive lead frame having a plurality of posts disposed at a perimeter of the package. Each of the posts has a first contact surface disposed at the first package face and a second contact surface disposed at the second package face. The lead frame also includes a plurality of post extensions disposed at the second package face. Each of the post extensions includes a bond site formed on a surface of the post extension opposite the second package face. At least one I/O pad on the semiconductor device is electrically connected to the post extension at the bond site using wirebonding, tape automated bonding, or flip-chip methods. The package can be assembled using a lead frame having pre-formed leads, with or without taping, or using partially etched lead frames. A stack of the semiconductor device packages may be formed.
US07709931B2
An IGBT is disclosed which has a set of inside trenches and an outside trench formed in its semiconductor substrate. The substrate has emitter regions adjacent the trenches, a p-type base region adjacent the emitter regions and trenches, and an n-type base region comprising a first and a second subregion contiguous to each other. The first subregion of the n-type base region is contiguous to the inside trenches whereas the second subregion, less in impurity concentration than the first, is disposed adjacent the outside trench. Breakdown is easier to occur than heretofore adjacent the inside trenches, saving the device from destruction through mitigation of a concentrated current flow adjacent the outside trench.
US07709915B2
Microelectronic devices having an EMI shield, systems including such microelectronic devices, and methods for manufacturing such microelectronic devices. One embodiment of a microelectronic device comprises an imaging system comprising a microelectronic die, an optics assembly, and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield. The microelectronic die includes an image sensor, processing components electrically coupled to the image sensor, a first interconnect electrically isolated from the processing components, and a second interconnect electrically coupled to the processing components. The optics assembly is aligned with the image sensor, and the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield is between the optics assembly and the processing components. The EMI shield is electrically coupled to the first interconnect.
US07709914B2
An image sensor is provided. The image sensor can include a semiconductor substrate including a circuit region, an interlayer dielectric including a metal interconnection on the semiconductor substrate, a lower electrode on the metal interconnection, and a light receiving portion on the lower electrode. The light receiving portion can be a PIN diode formed to have a convex shape.
US07709913B2
An image sensor package includes a substrate, a sensor chip, a frame, a lens element and at least a pair of guide pins. The sensor chip is mounted on the substrate, and has two opposite sides and a sensing region, which has a sensing region central axis. The frame is mounted on the substrate, and has an aperture and an inner space with the sensor chip disposed therein. The lens element is disposed inside the aperture and has a lens central axis. The guide pins locate oppositely inside the inner space of the frame with an interval between the tips of the guide pins substantially identical to the distance between the opposite sides of the sensor chip, wherein the central line of the interval between the tips of the guide pins defines a positioning line, which substantially coincides with the lens central axis; wherein the tip of each guide pin is aligned with one of the opposite sides of the sensor chip such that the positioning line is substantially coincided with the sensing region central axis.
US07709906B2
A semiconductor device includes a gate insulation film provided on a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode provided on the gate insulation film, a pair of first diffusion layers, a pair of second diffusion layers which are provided in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the gate electrode is interposed between the second diffusion layers, the second diffusion layers have a lower impurity concentration than the first diffusion layers, contact wiring lines provided on the first diffusion layers, respectively, and a first insulation layer which is an insulation layer formed in at least one of the second diffusion layers between the gate electrode and the contact wiring lines, the first insulation layer having a greater depth in the semiconductor substrate than the first diffusion layer and a less depth than the second diffusion layer.
US07709905B2
A structure and method of fabricating a dual damascene interconnect structure, the structure including a dual damascene wire in a dielectric layer, the dual damascene wires extending a distance into the dielectric layer less than the thickness of the dielectric layer and dual damascene via bars integral with and extending from bottom surfaces of the dual damascene wires to a bottom surface of the dielectric layer.
US07709900B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a diffusion region which is formed in the semiconductor substrate and serves as a region for the formation of a MIS transistor; an element isolation region surrounding the diffusion region; at least one gate conductor film which is formed across the diffusion region and the element isolation region, includes a gate electrode part located on the diffusion region and a gate interconnect part located on the element isolation region, and has a constant dimension in the gate length direction; and an interlayer insulating film covering the gate electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a gate contact which passes through the interlayer insulating film, is connected to the gate interconnect part, and has the dimension in the gate length direction larger than the gate interconnect part.
US07709894B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a circuit made up by a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) having GOLD (Gate-Drain Overlapped LDD) structure, which an LDD region overlaps which a portion of a gate electrode, wherein the formation of a concentration depth profile peak of hydrogen in a semiconductor film is avoided to thereby improve the electrical characteristics of the TFT. The use of the semiconductor film manufactured in this manner allows manufacturing of a semiconductor device with good electrical characteristics only by hydrogenating treatment even when the activation of impurity elements does not carried out.
US07709893B2
A circuit includes a plurality of first MuGFET devices supported by a substrate and having a first performance level. A plurality of second MuGFET devices is supported by the substrate and have a second performance level. The first and second devices in one embodiment are arranged in separate areas that facilitate different processing of the first and second devices to tailor their performance characteristics. In one embodiment, the circuit is an SRAM having pull down transistors with higher performance.
US07709886B2
A fabricating method of a TFT includes first forming a source on a substrate. Then, a first insulation pattern layer is formed to cover parts of the source and the substrate. The first insulation pattern layer has an opening exposing a part of the source. Thereafter, a gate pattern layer is formed on the first insulation pattern layer. Then, the gate pattern layer and a second insulation pattern layer formed thereon surround the opening. Moreover, a second lateral protection wall is formed on an edge of the gate pattern layer in the opening. Afterwards, a channel layer is formed in the opening and covers the second lateral protection wall and the source. Then, a passivation layer with a contact window is formed on the channel layer and the second insulation pattern layer to expose a portion of the channel layer. Thereafter, a drain is formed on the exposed channel layer.
US07709879B2
The present invention provides a non-volatile memory device and a method for manufacturing such a device. The device comprises a floating gate (16), a control gate (19) and a separate erase gate (10). The erase gate (10) is provided in or on isolation zones (2) provided in the substrate (1). Because of that, the erase gates (10) do not add to the cell size. The capacitance between the erase gate (10) and the floating gate (16) is small compared with the capacitance between the control gate (19) and the floating gate (16), and the charged floating gate (16) is erased by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling through the oxide layer between the erase gate (10) and the floating gate (16).
US07709877B2
A high surface area capacitor structure includes a storage electrode with recesses. An upper surface of the storage electrode has a maze-like appearance. Low elevation regions of a hemispherical grain polysilicon layer may remain on the upper surface of the storage electrode. The storage electrode or portions thereof may be lined or coated with dielectric material. The dielectric material may space a cell electrode of the high surface area capacitor structure apart from the storage electrode. One or both of the storage electrode and the cell electrode may be formed from polysilicon. Intermediate structures, which include mask material over contiguous low elevation regions of a layer of hemispherical grain polysilicon, which may have a maze-like appearance, and apertures located laterally between the low elevation regions of the layer of hemispherical grain polysilicon, are also disclosed.
US07709874B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes a first electrode formation step of forming a control gate electrode above a surface of a semiconductor substrate with a control gate insulating film interposed between the control gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, a step of forming a storage node insulating film on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a second electrode formation step of forming a memory gate electrode on a surface of the storage node insulating film. The second electrode formation step includes a step of forming a memory gate electrode layer on the surface of the storage node insulating film, a step of forming an auxiliary film, having an etching rate slower than that of the memory gate electrode layer, on a surface of the memory gate electrode layer, and a step of performing anisotropic etching on the memory gate electrode layer and the auxiliary film.
US07709871B2
A CIS and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The CIS includes an interlayer insulation layer formed on a substrate having a photodiode and a transistor formed thereon; a plurality of color filters formed on the interlayer insulation layer and spaced a predetermined interval apart from each other; a metal sidewall formed to fill the predetermined interval between the plurality of the color filters; and a microlens formed on each of the plurality of color filters.
US07709863B2
A solid state imaging device in which γ characteristic is obtained and enlargement of dynamic range is provided. The solid state imaging device of the present invention includes a vertical overflow function and has a feature in which potential of a semiconductor substrate is changed from a high potential to a low potential in a stepwise manner during a period from an exposure start to an exposure end.
US07709857B2
Provided is a light emitting diode package in accordance with the present invention including a lead frame composed of at least a pair of lead terminals; a mold receiving a part of the lead frame therein and equipped with an irradiation window opened to radiate light, and further including one or more holes formed to expose a part of a bottom surface of the lead frame received in the inside of the mold; an LED chip mounted on the lead frame positioned in the mold; an electrode connection unit for electrically connecting the LED chip and the lead frame; and a molding agent composed of any one selected from transparent epoxy, silicon, and phosphor blends charged in the mold and protecting the LED chip.
US07709856B2
A semiconductor light emitting device is provided which comprises: a semiconductor light emitting chip 2 mounted on a top surface 12 of a support plate 1, wiring conductors 3 disposed adjacent to side surfaces 11 of support plate 1, and a plastic encapsulant 6 for sealing side surfaces 11 of support plate 1 and wiring conductors 3. Each of wiring conductors 3 has one end 13 electrically connected to an electrode 2a of semiconductor light emitting chip 2 and the other end 14 extending away from support plate 1. Plastic encapsulant 6 is formed with openings 7 upwardly extending from a bottom surface 6b of plastic encapsulant 6 between side surface 11 of support plate 1 and an outer surface 6c of plastic encapsulant 6 to open each bottom surface 3b of wiring conductors 3 to the outside through opening 7 so that heat from semiconductor light emitting chip 2 can effectively be radiated to the outside through wiring conductors 3 and opening 7 when a large current is supplied to semiconductor light emitting chip 2 to turn it on with a high brightness.
US07709849B1
The present invention discloses a light emitting diode. The light emitting diode includes a plurality of light emitting cells arranged on a substrate, each light emitting cell including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer arranged on the first semiconductor layer; a first dielectric layer arranged on each light emitting cell and including a first opening to expose the first semiconductor layer and a second opening to expose the second semiconductor layer; a wire arranged on the first dielectric layer to couple two of the light emitting cells; and a second dielectric layer arranged on the first dielectric layer and the wire. The first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer comprise the same material and the first dielectric layer is thicker than the second dielectric layer.
US07709847B2
A nitride semiconductor light emitting device is provided. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a first nitride layer comprising at least N-type nitride layer. An insulating member is formed on the first nitride layer having a predetermined pattern. An active layer is formed in both sides of the insulating member on the first nitride layer to emit light. A second nitride layer is formed in both sides of the insulating member on the active layer and the second nitride layer comprises at least a P-type nitride layer.
US07709846B2
The purpose of the invention is to improve reliability of a light emitting apparatus comprising TFTs and organic light emitting elements. The light emitting apparatus according to the invention having thin film transistors and light emitting elements, comprises; a second inorganic insulation layer on a gate electrode, a first organic insulation layer on the second inorganic insulation layer, a third inorganic insulation layer on the first organic insulation layer, an anode layer formed on the third inorganic insulation layer, a second organic insulation layer overlapping with the end of the anode layer and having an inclination angle of 35 to 45 degrees, a fourth inorganic insulation layer formed on the upper surface and side surface of the second organic insulation layer and having an opening over the anode layer, an organic compound layer formed in contact with the anode layer and the fourth inorganic insulation layer and containing light emitting material, and a cathode layer formed in contact with the organic compound layer containing the light emitting material, wherein the third inorganic insulation layer and the fourth inorganic insulation layer are formed with silicon nitride or aluminum nitride.
US07709845B2
The invention relates to a high-quality semiconductor light emitting device which suppresses current concentration. The semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer sequentially formed on a substrate. The semiconductor light emitting device further includes a p-electrode formed on the p-type semiconductor layer and an n-electrode formed on a surface of a mesa-etched portion of the n-type semiconductor layer. A trench is formed in the n-type semiconductor layer to prevent current concentration. The trench is extended from an upper surface of the mesa-etched portion of the n-type semiconductor layer or from a bottom surface of the substrate into the n-type semiconductor layer at a predetermined depth.
US07709836B2
The invention relates to a detector arrangement (100), a method for the detection of electrical charge carriers and use of an ONO field effect transistor for detection of an electrical charge. The detector arrangement (100) has an ONO field effect transistor embodied on and/or in a substrate (101), for the detection of electrical charge carriers, such that the electrical charge carrier (103) for detection may be introduced into die ONO field effect transistor layer sequence (102), a recording unit (104), coupled to the ONO field effect transistor, for recording an electrical signal characteristic of the amount and/or the charge carrier type for the electrical charge carrier (103) introduced into the ONO layer sequence (102) and an analytical unit for determining the amount and/or the charge carrier type of the electrical charge carrier (103) introduced into the ONO layer sequence (102) from the characteristic electrical signal.
US07709833B2
Provided is an organic light-emitting device in which light extraction efficiency for the luminescent color of each of organic light-emitting elements can be improved without an increase in driving voltage and a reduction in emission efficiency. The organic light-emitting elements for respective luminescent colors are different from each other in thickness of an electron injection layer, and the concentration of a metal or a metal compound in an electron injection layer is adapted to increase as the thickness of the electron injection layer decreases.
US07709828B2
Circuits for processing radio frequency (“RF”) and microwave signals are fabricated using field effect transistors (“FETs”) that have one or more strained channel layers disposed on one or more planarized substrate layers. FETs having such a configuration exhibit improved values for, for example, transconductance and noise figure. RF circuits such as, for example, voltage controlled oscillators (“VCOs”), low noise amplifiers (“LNAs”), and phase locked loops (“PLLs”) built using these FETs also exhibit enhanced performance.
US07709827B2
The invention relates to a vertical integrated component, a component arrangement and a method for production of a vertical integrated component. The vertical integrated component has a first electrical conducting layer, a mid layer, partly embodied from dielectric material on the first electrical conducting layer, a second electrical conducting layer on the mid layer and a nanostructure integrated in a through hold introduced in the mid layer. A first end section of the nanostructure is coupled to the first electrical conducting layer and a second end section is coupled to the second electrical conducting layer. The mid layer includes a third electrical conducting layer between two adjacent dielectric partial layers, the thickness of which is less than the thickness of at least one of the dielectric partial layers.
US07709826B2
Atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) is applied to the fabrication of new forms of rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides. Further, ternary compounds composed of binary (rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides) mixed with silicon and or germanium to form compound semiconductors of the formula RE-(O, N, P)—(Si,Ge) are also disclosed, where RE=at least one selection from group of rare-earth metals, O=oxygen, N=nitrogen, P=phosphorus, Si=silicon and Ge=germanium. The presented ALE growth technique and material system can be applied to silicon electronics, opto-electronic, magneto-electronics and magneto-optics devices.
US07709825B2
A voltage supply is connected to provide a variable bias voltage to a plurality of optical quantum tunneling photodetectors to thereby vary the spectral response of the photodetectors and thus detect radiation.
US07709821B2
A flow cytometer has a flow cell through which a sample flows and at least one laser emitting an excitation beam for illuminating a corresponding interrogation region in the flow cell. Scattered and fluorescence light from each interrogation region is collected by one or more input fibers for that region, and the input fiber(s) are fed to a dispersion module for that interrogation region that disperses the incoming light into different spectral regions. The dispersed light is conveyed, such as by a plurality of output fibers, to one or more photosensitive detectors. Thus, time multiplexed light signals may be delivered to a detector whereby several unique light signals can be measured by a single detector.
US07709818B2
To ensure irradiation accuracy and safety, even when an irradiation device employing a different irradiation method is used, disclosed is herein a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus that irradiates an irradiation target with charged particle beams includes: a charged particle beam generator for generating the charged particle beams; a passive scattering irradiation device and a scanning irradiation device, both for irradiating the irradiation target with the charged particle beams; a beam transport system for transporting the charged particles beam extracted from the charged particle beam generator, to selected one of the two irradiation devices; and a central controller that modifies operating parameters on the charged particle beam generator, according to the irradiation method adopted for the selected irradiation device.
US07709805B2
A method of manufacturing an imaging component is provided comprising placing a focusing device in between a laser generator and a scintillator element; generating a laser using the laser generator; focusing the laser using the focusing device such that a focal spot of the laser is coincident with a portion of the isotropic portion; using the laser to alter the optical properties at the focal spot such that anisotropy is generated in the isotropic portion; and moving the focal spot relative to the scintillator element such that a three-dimensional pattern with altered optical properties is generated. The three-dimensional pattern controls the spread of photons within the scintillator element.
US07709799B2
A detector for electromagnetic radiation in the range 80 GHz to 4 THz comprises a laser light source (115) an optical modulator (13) arranged to modulate light from the laser light source (11) and a filter system (17) for selecting a defined range of frequencies of the modulated light. The optical modulator is an electroabsorption modulator (13) with an antenna (15) which is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation in the range 80 GHz to 4 THz. The signal received by the antenna (15) modulates the electric field across the electroabsorption modulator (13), whereby to modulate the light from the laser light source (11).
US07709796B2
Methods and systems for detecting the presence of concealed objects.
US07709794B2
To increase inspection throughput, the field of view (FOV) of an IR camera can be moved over the sample at a constant velocity. Throughout this moving, a modulation (e.g. optical or electrical) can be provided to the sample and IR images can be captured using the IR camera. Moving the FOV, providing the modulation, and capturing the IR images can be synchronized. The IR images can be filtered to generate the time delay LIT, thereby providing defect identification. In one embodiment, this filtering accounts for the number of pixels of the IR camera in a scanning direction. For the case of optical modulation, a dark field region can be provided for the FOV throughout the moving, thereby providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during filtering.
US07709793B2
A bolometer circuit has a substrate, bolometer detectors coupled to the substrate, a source of calibration data and a compensation circuit. Each bolometer detector has an associated calibration data. The compensation circuit is configured to generate a time varying compensation signal for each bolometer detector based on its associated calibration data.
US07709789B2
A time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes a pulsed ion source that generates a pulse of ions from a sample to be analyzed. An ion lens focuses the pulse of ions into an ion beam. An ion deflector deflects the ion beam into a deflected ion beam path. An ion mirror is positioned in the deflected ion beam path so that a plane of constant ion flight time is parallel to an input surface of the ion mirror. The ion mirror decelerates and then accelerates ions so that ions of like mass and like charge exit the ion mirror in a reflected ion beam and reach an ion detector at substantially the same time. An ion detector is positioned in the path of the reflected ion beam so that a plane of constant ion flight time is substantially parallel to an input surface of the ion detector. The ion detector detects a time-of-flight of ions from the pulsed ion source to the ion detector that is substantially independent of a path traveled.
US07709771B2
An inexpensive packaging pouch for use in a microwave oven, in which the packaging pouch can be prevented from opening at the base part of a branch section when used for retorting or for cooking in the microwave oven, and pressure in the packaging pouch can be automatically released when the pouch is used for cooking in the microwave oven. A packaging pouch for microwave oven hermetically sealed by heat-sealing a plastic film is provided with a branch section, and a vapor release seal part having at least one weakened part is formed at the branch section. Opening preventive means are provided at the branch section and inside a peripheral edge seal part, facing the branch section, of a packaging pouch body.
US07709769B2
In a steam cooker, a tray-shaped case (51) of a steam temperature-raising device (50) has a recessed part (51a) into which steam from a steam generator flows through steam supply ports (95A, 95B, 95C) provided in a first sidewall (91). The recessed part (51a) has a planar shape roughly symmetrical with respect to a center line (L) of a steam flow entering through the steam supply ports (95A, 95B, and 95C). First and second steam superheaters (52, 53) are placed in the recessed part (51a) of the tray-shaped case (51) so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center line (L). A spiral heat radiation fin (56) having a fin pitch of 10 mm or less is wound around the first steam superheater (52). The tray-shaped case (51) is placed on a ceiling panel of a heating chamber and at steam outlets with an opening of the recessed part (51a) directed downward.
US07709765B2
A thermal processing system includes a thermal torch for processing a workpiece, a power supply for providing power to the thermal torch, a positioning system for relatively moving the thermal torch and the workpiece, a controller for controlling the thermal processing system, and a deterministic-based communication network, such as, for example, a network which operates using SERCOS. The deterministic-based communications network connects at least the controller, the power supply, and the positioning system of the thermal processing system together.
US07709758B2
The present invention relates to a single-pole or multi-pole switch to be used preferably in low-voltage systems. The switch (1) comprises an outer casing (2) containing for each pole at least one fixed contact (10) and one mobile contact (20) which can be reciprocally coupled to/uncoupled from each other. The mobile contacts (20) are housed in suitable seats (25) provided on a mobile element (50). The switch (1) according to the invention is provided with a control mechanism (60, 61) comprising mechanical means supported by a structural part (70). This control mechanism (60, 61) is connected to the mobile element (50) through first removable connection means (64) and to the outer casing (2) through second removable connection means (65). The switch (1) also comprises means to support the mobile element (50) which are connected to the structural part (70) of the control mechanism (60, 61) through third removable connection means (66).
US07709753B1
Disclosed is an electrical wiring block for an accessory. The accessory may be a switch or a receptacle. The electrical wiring block may include a base section and a wiring section positioned offset on the base section to form an overhang and an overhang seat. The base section may include a base plug and a base socket configured to fit within a base plug of an adjacent electrical wiring block. The wiring section may include wire holes, wire terminals, and wire ports positioned at an angle to the wire terminals. The wiring section may include a wiring section indent that may allow access to the wire ports on an adjacent, connected electrical wiring block. The overhang seat may cradle the overhang of an adjacent, connected electrical wiring block. The switch or receptacle may be installed in the electrical wiring block by pushing.
US07709741B2
A flat cable having at least two conductor planes, in which a number of electrical conductors running in the longitudinal direction of the cable are arranged, in which the electrical conductors in the flat cable thickness direction and/or in the flat cable width direction are kept at a defined distance from each other by means of a central insulation layer of predetermined thickness acting as a spacer insulator and are electrically insulated and positioned relative to each other and to the flat cable exterior by means of an outer insulation layer.
US07709739B2
This invention relates to an elbow connection (10) for an electric cable (6) with several wires (5).According to the invention, the connection (10) comprises a fluted central carrier (1) running longitudinally (L), made up of a flexible stem (2), comprising several substantially parallel recesses (4), and a strengthening rod (3), arranged at the core of the stem (2) and suitable for being bent.
US07709732B2
An upper frequency-range circuit (160) includes a load element (168) exhibiting a capacitive load impedance. A first matching network (166) includes at least one nano-scale Litz wire (100) inductor. The first matching network (166) exhibits an inductive reactance that nominally matches the capacitive load reactance. An electrical conductor for providing connections for radio-frequency signals includes a plurality of nano-scale conductors (120) that are arranged in the form of a Litz wire (100). In one method of making a Litz wire (142), a plurality of carbon nanotubes (144) is placed on a substrate (146). The carbon nanotubes (144) are woven according to a predefined scheme so as to form a Litz wire (142). An inductor may be formed by manipulating the Litz wire (100) to form a coil (150).
US07709725B2
A portable electronic device having a screen and a numeric keypad, comprises: a sound card for processing sound signals to produce musical tones; a musical synthesizer, associated with said sound card, for electronically synthesizing musical instruments; and a user interface for interfacing said musical synthesizer to a user via said screen and said numeric keypad. The device can be a cellular telephone and may be able to interact with other devices.
US07709718B2
Keyboard apparatus includes: a plurality of white and black keys: a plurality of mass body units each pivotable in response to operation of a corresponding one of the keys; a frame having mounted thereon the plurality of keys and mass body units; and upper- and lower-limit stoppers provided on the frame for limiting a pivotable range of each of the mass body units by the mass body unit colliding against the stoppers. Each of the mass body units includes a cavity portion provided in a section thereof that pivots against a gravitational force as the corresponding key is depressed, and a plurality of particles are accommodated in the cavity portion with some vacant space left in the cavity portion.
US07709707B1
An inbred corn line, designated BS315, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line BS315, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line BS315 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line BS315 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line BS315, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line BS315 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.
US07709705B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 04T056. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 04T056. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 04T056 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 04T056 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07709704B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 04T048. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 04T048. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 04T048 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 04T048 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07709701B2
The invention provides method and compositions for the modulation of condensed tannin production in plants. The methods of the invention allow creation of plants having novel phenotypes. Increased expression of condensed tannins in plants may be used to increase the nutritional value of food plants for both human and animal consumption. Increased condensed tannin content also reduces the potential for bloat in animals fed certain forage plants low in condensed tannin content. The invention may also be used to modify plant pigmentation.
US07709699B2
Methods for high-throughput screening in duckweed are disclosed. In one aspect, these methods are used to identify nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides of interest. In another aspect, these methods are used to identify nucleotide sequences that modulate the expression of a target nucleotide sequence. The methods combine the predictive benefits of screening in whole plants with the speed and efficiency of a high throughput system.
US07709689B2
A homogenous process for the hydrogenation of the carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof in the presence of a catalyst comprising ruthenium, rhodium, iron, osmium or palladium, and an organic phosphine is described in which the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of at least about 1% by weight water. A process for regenerating a catalyst comprising ruthenium, rhodium, iron, osmium or palladium and an organic phosphine is also described in which the regeneration is carried out in the presence of hydrogen and water.
US07709687B2
The present invention provides a novel dicarbanionic initiator of formula (I). The present process further provides a process for the preparation of dicarbanionic initiator of formula (I) comprising reacting 1-bromo-4-(4′-bromophenoxy)-2-pentadecyl benzene of formula (II) with alkyllithium compound for an effecting halogen-lithium exchange reaction of 1-bromo-4-(4′-bromophenoxy)-2-pentadecyl benzene with sec-butyllithium in the presence of a non polar solvent, at a temperature in the range of 0 to 25° C. and its use as an initiator for the synthesis of telechelic polydienes and polystyrenes and SBS or SIS triblock copolymers.
US07709678B2
An asymmetric alkyl compound producing method of the present invention includes a synthesizing step of carrying out an asymmetric synthesis reaction by mixing (i) a reaction solution containing a glycine imine ester, an alkyl halide, and an asymmetric catalyst having a catalytic action which causes the asymmetric synthesis reaction to proceed with (ii) an alkali-treated solid support obtained by treating with an alkaline substance a solid support made of an inorganic compound. By placing this mixture at room temperature, the asymmetric alkylation occurs between the glycine imine ester and the alkyl halide which are catalyzed by the asymmetric catalyst in an alkali-treated solid support contained in the mixture, and the asymmetric alkylation is completed in about 1 hour. Thus, a highly optically pure asymmetric alkyl compound can be obtained in high yield. Therefore, it is possible to provide the asymmetric alkyl compound producing method which does not require the agitation of the solvent, completes the asymmetric alkylation efficiently and stably in a short time, and synthesizes a highly optically pure asymmetric alkyl compound in high yield.
US07709675B2
A process is described for continuously hydrocyanating 1,3-butadiene in the presence of at least one nickel(0) catalyst with chelate ligands, wherein 1,3-butadiene and hydrogen cyanide are used in a molar ratio of from 1.6:1 to 1.1:1.
US07709673B2
The invention provides a continuous process for the production of 3-pentenenitrile comprising: (a) contacting, in a reaction zone, a hydrogen cyanide-containing feed, a butadiene-containing feed, and a catalyst precursor composition, wherein the catalyst precursor composition comprises a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand selected from a member of the group represented by Structures I and II, in which all like reference characters have the same meaning, except as further explicitly limited: wherein R1 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1 to C5 hydrocarbyl, and R2, R3, R4, R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1 to C4 hydrocarbyl; and (b) maintaining a residence time in the reaction zone sufficient to convert about 95% or more of the hydrogen cyanide and to produce a reaction mixture comprising 3-pentenenitrile and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, wherein the 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile concentration is maintained below about 15 weight percent of the total mass of the reaction mixture.
US07709667B2
A method for producing a diacylglycerol-rich fat or oil is provided. This method includes the steps of reacting an acyl group donor with an acyl group receptor, and separating unreacted material and byproducts by distillation for use as a part of the starting material in the subsequent cycle of production. The distillation is conducted such that the content of monoacylglycerol in the fat or oil after the distillation is 0.5 to 15% by weight.
US07709664B2
Novel compounds composition capable of inhibiting TNFα and having anti immunoinflammatory and autoimmune properties useful in a pharmaceutical composition, such as for a drug containing this as an active ingredient; and a therapeutic method with the use of these novel compounds.
US07709662B2
A method of preparation of (S)-N-methyl-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-3-(2-thienyl)propylamine of formula (I) or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt, in which (RS)-N,N-dimethyl-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-3-(2-thienyl)propylamine of formula (III) is reacted with an optically active acid, after which a crystallization is made of that diastereoisomer which yields, by reaction with an inorganic or organic base, (S)-N,N-dimethyl-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-3-(2-thienyl)propylamine of formula (S)-III, which is then demethylated using alkylchloroformates, followed by a hydrolysis and optional conversion of the compound of formula (I) to its salt.
US07709661B2
A process for the reductive alkylation at the C-3 position of an indole compound in which the indole is treated with an aldehyde in the presence of a Lewis acid and a silicon hydride reducing agent. The process is useful for alkylating the C-3 position of indoles that contain acid-sensitive substituents at the N-1 position.
US07709660B2
The invention provides novel compounds useful as intermediates for the production of polymethine compounds containing a desired counter ion with high purity and in high yields.Thus provided are polymethine ether compounds of the general formula (I) given below and a method of producing polymethine compounds which comprises bringing those compounds into contact with an acid. In the above formula, R represents an alkyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group or an aryl group which may optionally be substituted, R1 and R2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, nitro group, alkyl group, alkoxyalkyl group, alkoxy group or alkoxyalkoxy group and R1 and R2 may be bound to each other to form a ring; R3 represents an alkyl group, which may optionally be substituted; L is an alkylene group required for the formation of a ring structure; and X represents a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, alkylthio group, arylthio group or substituted amino group.
US07709655B2
Phosphine triazole ligand compounds, prepared through click chemistry, complex with transition metals to form transition metal-phosphine triazole ligand complexes. These complexes are useful catalysts in coupling reactions such as Suzuki-Miyaura coupling, Stille coupling, Negishi coupling, Sonagashira coupling, carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions (C—O and C—N), alpha alkylation of carbonyls, Heck coupling reactions, and hydrogenation reactions.
US07709650B2
2-Substituted-5-(1-alkylthio)alkylpyridines are produced efficiently and in high yield from a non-pyridine source by cyclization.
US07709645B2
The present invention provides novel pyrrolo-pyridine kinase modulators and methods of using the novel pyrrolo-pyridine kinase modulators to treat diseases mediated by kinase activity.
US07709644B2
The present invention relates to a process for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane with the aid of continuous countercurrent chromatography, which is also described as SMB chromatography (SMB=simulated moving bed).In a further aspect, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of (1S,6R)-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane using the aforementioned process, which furthermore includes a racemization step.
US07709637B2
5-Phenylpyrimidines of the formula I, in which the substituents have the following meanings: R1 is a five- to ten-membered saturated, partially unsaturated or aromatic mono- or bicyclic heterocycle comprising one to four hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N or S, which heterocycle can be substituted as defined in the description, R2 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, alkyl, haloalkyl or alkoxy; R3, R4 are hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, halocycloalkyl, alkenyl, haloalkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkynyl or cycloalkynyl, R3 and R4 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded may also form a five- or six-membered ring which can be interrupted by a hetero atom and have attached to it one or more substituents; R5, R6 are hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or alkoxy; R7, R8 are hydrogen, halogen, alkyl or haloalkyl; R9 is hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, haloalkoxy or alkoxycarbonyl, Processes and intermediates for the preparation of these compounds, and their use for controlling harmful fungi.
US07709629B2
Efficient sequence specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology. By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed including those directed to nucleotide sequences for DGAT2.
US07709627B2
Provided are an oligonucleotide primer set for amplifying at least one target sequence of the genomic RNA of norovirus, an oligonucleotide probe or probe set specifically hybridizing with at least one target sequence of the genomic RNA of norovirus, a microarray immobilized with the probe or probe set, and a method of detecting norovirus using the probe or probe set.
US07709626B2
This application provides universal labeled primers for detection and amplification of nucleic acid molecules. These universal primers can be attached to the 5′-end of a target sequence-specific primer. In particular examples, the universal primer includes a labeled nucleotide flanked on both sides a nucleotide whose complement nucleotides changes a detectable signal from the label when the universal primer hybridizes with its complementary nucleic acid molecule. Also disclosed are methods of using the universal primer in nucleic acid amplification, such as real-time PCR.
US07709622B2
Diagnostic tools for serodiagnosing ehrlichiosis in mammals, particularly in members of the Canidae family and in humans are provided. The diagnostic tools are a group of outer membrane proteins of E. chaffeensis and variants thereof, referred to hereinafter as the “OMP proteins”, a group of outer membrane proteins of E. canis and variants thereof referred to hereinafter as the “P30F proteins”, and antibodies to the ONP proteins and the P30F proteins. The OMP proteins of E. chaffeensis encompass OMP-1, OMP-1A, OMP1-B, OMP-1C, OMP1-D, OMP1-E, OMP1-F, OMP1-H, OMP-1R, OMP-1S, OMP-1T, OMP-1U, OMP-1V, OMP-1W, OMP-1X, OMP-1Y and OMP-1Z. The P30F proteins of E. canis encompass P30, P30a, P30-1, P30-2, P30-3; P30-4, P30-5, P30-6, P30-7, P30-8, P30-9, P30-10, P30-11, and P30-12. Isolated polynucleotides that encode the E. chaffeensis OMP proteins and isolated polynucleotides that encode the E. canis P30F protein are also provided. The present invention also relates to kits containing reagents for diagnosing human ehrlichiosis and canine ehrlichiosis, and to immunogenic compositions containing one or more OMP proteins or P30F proteins.
US07709620B2
The present invention describes the identification of novel non-ribosomal peptide synthetases and associated biosynthetic genes from Streptomyces hygroscopicus. The present invention further provides methods for generating novel compounds, such as antibiotics, from these synthetases and associated genes.
US07709618B2
The invention provides isolated BTL-II proteins, nucleic acids, antibodies, antagonists, and agonists and methods of making and using the same. Diagnostic, screening, and therapeutic methods using the compositions of the invention are provided. For example, the compositions of the invention can be used for diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and for enhancing a mucosal immune response to an antigen.
US07709615B2
IgM can be obtained in the form of a pentamer by placing the genes encoding the H, L, and J chains on the same vector to transform appropriate host cells. The gene encoding the J chain may be introduced by co-transfection. When no J chain is expressed, the IgM is produced as a hexamer. The transformants obtained according to the present invention achieve a high yield of IgM. The present invention also provides methods which enable separation and quantification of polymeric IgM.
US07709598B2
To obtain a polymerization initiator (acid generating agent) having excellent power for initiation of cationic polymerization without containing arsenic or antimony.Provided is a specific onium salt or transition metal complex salt of a fluorinated alkyl fluorophosphoric acid.
US07709597B2
A novel polymer comprising a reaction product obtained by reacting an organosilane compound with a boron compound. The polymer comprises a reaction product obtained by reacting (a) an aminated silane compound represented by the formula R4-n—Si—(OR′)n (wherein R represents an aminated organic group; R′ represents methyl, ethyl, or propyl; and n is an integer of 1-3) with (b) at least one boron compound selected from the group consisting of H3BO3 and B2O3, the amount of the ingredient (b) being 0.02 mol or larger per mol of the ingredient (a).
US07709594B2
A polyester composition produced without using an antimony compound as a polycondensation catalyst and including (I) composition containing, on a weight basis, 30 ppm or less of antimony, 0.5 to 50 ppm of titanium, and 0.1 to 100 ppm of phosphorus, in which the number density of titanium-containing particles, the equivalent circular diameter of which is 1μm or more, is less than 100/0.02 mg; and (II) a composition containing, on a weight basis, antimony, titanium and phosphorous as defined above, in which organic polymer particles are contained in amount of 0.1 to 5 wt%, the organic polymer particles having an average particle diameter determined by dynamic light scattering of 0.05 to 3μm and containing 0.01% or less of coarse particles relative to the total number of the particles, the coarse particles having a diameter at least twice the average particle diameter.
US07709593B2
Processes for feeding catalyst systems to a melt phase process for the manufacture of polyester polymers, and more particularly, to split catalyst solution feeds to the melt phase process to provide the target amount and ratio of catalyst metals.
US07709590B2
A golf ball comprising a core, an inner cover layer, and an outer cover layer, the outer cover layer being formed from a polyurea including a prepolymer and an amine curative. The prepolymer is formed from an aliphatic isocyanate and a secondary polyamine polyether having a formula: where x=1-70; R1 and R2 each independently=a C1-20 alkyl group, phenyl, or a mixture thereof; and R3=H, CH3, or a mixture thereof.
US07709589B2
The invention relates to high-reactivity polyurethane compositions. The invention further relates to low temperature curable polyurethane compositions which contain uretdione groups, particularly useful for polyurethane powder coating compositions and adhesive compositions, and to processes for preparing and using the same.
US07709586B2
An olefin polymerization catalyst which includes an organometallic compound of the following Formula 1; aluminoxane; and an organic transition metal compound of the following Formula 2: M1R11R2mR3n or R2mR3nM1R11M1R2mR3n [Formula 1 ] in Formula 1, M1 is selected from the group consisting of Group 2A, 2B and 3A of the Periodic Table, R1 is cyclic hydrocarbyl group of 5 to 30 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are independently hydrocarbyl group of 1 to 24 carbon atoms, l is an integer of more than 1, m and n are independently an integer of 0 to 2, l+m+n is equal to the valence of M1, Q is a divalent group; M2R4pXq [Formula 2 ] in Formula 2, M2 is Ti, Zr or Hf; R4 is cyclic hydrocarbyl group of 5 to 30 carbon atoms, X is halogen atom, p is an integer of 0 or 1, q is an integer of 3 or 4, p+q is equal to the valence of metal M2.
US07709575B2
A method for controlling a dispersion size of an elastomer in a thermoplastic elastomer composition having improved durability and impermeability obtained by melt-mixing (A) a halogenated isobutylene elastomer, (B) polyamide and (C) a dispersion aid, and dynamically vulcanizing the resultant blend to form the dynamically vulcanized polymer blend, wherein the halogenated isobutylene elastomer is dispersed in the polyamide matrix at a volume-average dispersion diameter of less than 2.0 μm.
US07709574B2
The present invention is generally directed to methods of making ceramics with nanoscale/microscale structure involving self-assembly of precursor materials such as, but not limited to, inorganic-based block co-polymers, inorganic-/organic-based hybrid block co-polymers, and other similar materials, and to the structures made by such methods. Where such precursor materials are themselves novel, the present invention is also generally directed to those materials and their synthesis.
US07709568B2
A composition, having an improved resistance to yellowing under heat aging, comprising at least 20 weight % of at least one polycondensation polymer having a heat deflection temperature of above 80° C. under a load of 1.82 MPa when measured according to ASTM D648, from 0 to 5 weight % of at least one polymer having a heat deflection temperature of at most 80° C. under a load of 1.82 MPa when measured according to ASTM D648, a white pigment; and a black pigment provides resistance to heat aging induced yellowing. The polycondensation polymers are advantageously selected from the group consisting of polyarylethersulfones, at least partially aromatic polyamides, polyamideimides, liquid crystalline polymers, polyimides, polyetherimides, polyaryletherketones, and polyphenylene sulfides. The polymer composition can be molded to form a variety of articles, including LED components, such as reflectors, reflector cups, and scramblers.
US07709564B2
The present invention provides a rubber composition for coating a steel cord, use of which makes it possible to consider an effect on environment, prepare for the future decrease in supply of petroleum resources, suppress generation of air bubbles, reduce rolling resistance, and improve processability, roll workability, adhesion to a steel cord and durability with favorable balance, as compared with a rubber composition for coating a steel cord comprising raw materials derived from petroleum resources as main components, and provides a tire having a belt prepared by using the rubber composition. The rubber composition for coating a steel cord comprises 40 to 80 parts by weight of silica having a nitrogen adsorbing-specific surface area of 100 to 200 m2/g, 1 to 15 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent and 0.5 to 3 parts by weight of potassium borate, on the basis of 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber component, and the tire is prepared using the rubber composition.
US07709550B2
An ink composition is provided that includes a cationically polymerizable compound (a), a compound (b) that generates an acid when exposed to radiation, a colorant (c), and a salt of a weak acid having a pKa of 4 to 8 (d). There is also provided an inkjet recording method that includes a step of discharging the ink composition onto a recording medium, and a step of irradiating the discharged ink composition with radiation so as to cure the ink composition.
US07709544B2
In a method for synthesizing polymeric microstructures, a monomer stream is flowed, at a selected flow rate, through a fluidic channel. At least one shaped pulse of illumination is projected to the monomer stream, defining in the monomer stream a shape of at least one microstructure corresponding to the illumination pulse shape while polymerizing that microstructure shape in the monomer stream by the illumination pulse.
US07709538B2
The present invention relates to a method of treating a non-tumor condition or disease associated with angiogenesis in a human or animal comprises administering thereto an effective angiogenesis inhibiting dose of a tetrameric cyclic compound of 4,5-dihydroxynaphthalene-2,7, disulfonic acid linked by methylene bridges in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US07709537B1
This invention relates to drinks and foods having osteogenetic function, each of which comprises as an active ingredient an effective amount of a culture of a propionic acid bacterium and/or a lactic acid bacterium, said culture containing 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone; and preventives and/or remedies for metabolic bone diseases, each of which comprises as an active ingredient a naphthoquinone compound selected from the group consisting of 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 8-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-(α-hydroxy-δ-methylpentenyl)-5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and salts thereof. These cultures and naphthoquinones promote bone metabolism and increase bone mass and bone strength.
US07709532B2
The present invention provides a method for improving the bioavailability of a renin inhibitor, preferably, of a δ-amino-γ-hydroxy-ω-aryl-alkanoic acid derivative, which method comprises co-administering to a mammal, especially a human, in need of such treatment, a combination of a renin inhibitor, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and an efflux protein inhibitor.
US07709527B2
Levodopa dimethyl-substituted diester prodrugs pharmaceutical, compositions comprising levodopa dimethyl-substituted diester prodrugs, and methods of using such prodrugs and pharmaceutical compositions for treating diseases such as Parkinson's disease are provided.
US07709523B2
α-Aminoamide derivatives useful as antimigraine agents, particularly for the treatment of head pain conditions such as migraine, cluster headache or other severe headache, are disclosed. The antimigraine agents of the invention are able to reduce or even stop the pain deriving from such conditions without, virtually, any side effects.
US07709507B2
Compounds of the formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a tautomer thereof, wherein A and B are as described herein, are useful for treating conditions afflicting mammals.
US07709505B2
Compound of formula (I) wherein A is selected from pyridin-2-yl or thiazol-2-yl and R1, R2 and R3 are as described in the specification and their use in the treatment or prevention of a disease or medical conditions mediated through glucokinase.
US07709503B2
Compounds of Formula (1) and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts are described: Formula (1) Processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, their use as medicaments and their use in the treatment of bacterial infections are also described.
US07709502B2
Substituted 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)phthalimides and 1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindolines are disclosed. The compounds are useful, for example, in reducing the levels of TNFα in a mammal.
US07709501B2
Substituted pyridines and pyrimidines and compositions containing them, for the treatment of acute, inflammatory and neuropathic pain, dental pain, general headache, migraine, cluster headache, mixed-vascular and non-vascular syndromes, tension headache, general inflammation, arthritis, rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, inflammatory bowel disorders, inflammatory eye disorders, inflammatory or unstable bladder disorders, psoriasis, skin complaints with inflammatory components, chronic inflammatory conditions, inflammatory pain and associated hyperalgesia and allodynia, neuropathic pain and associated hyperalgesia and allodynia, diabetic neuropathy pain, causalgia, sympathetically maintained pain, deafferentation syndromes, asthma, epithelial tissue damage or dysfunction, herpes simplex, disturbances of visceral motility at respiratory, genitourinary, gastrointestinal or vascular regions, wounds, burns, allergic skin reactions, pruritus, vitiligo, general gastrointestinal disorders, gastric ulceration, duodenal ulcers, diarrhea, gastric lesions induced by necrotising agents, hair growth, vasomotor or allergic rhinitis, bronchial disorders or bladder disorders.
US07709494B2
This invention relates to a compound of formula I, wherein R1, R2, m, n, V, W, X and Y are as defined herein, or a physiologically tolerated salt thereof, its pharmaceutical composition and use for lowering blood glucose, treating diabetes, or increasing insulin release.
US07709491B2
The invention relates to substituted quinazolines and to methods for the production thereof, in addition to the use thereof in the production of medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, especially for use as antiviral agents, especially against cytomegaloviruses.
US07709490B2
This invention relates to a compound of formula I, wherein R1, R2, m, n and X are as defined herein, or a physiologically tolerated salt thereof, its pharmaceutical composition and use for lowering blood glucose, treating diabetes, or increasing insulin release.
US07709477B2
The present invention relates to novel Triheterocyclic Compounds, compositions comprising a Triheterocyclic Compound, and methods useful for treating or preventing cancer or a neoplastic disorder comprising administering a Triheterocyclic Compound. The compounds, compositions, and methods of the invention are also useful for inhibiting the growth of a cancer cell or neoplastic cell, treating or preventing a viral infection, or inhibiting the replication and/or infectivity of a virus.
US07709472B2
Naphthyridine and related derivatives useful in the treatment of bacterial infections in mammals, particularly humans, are disclosed herein.
US07709468B2
The present invention is directed to novel imidazopyrazine and imidazopyrimidine compounds of formula (I) wherein the variables are as defined herein. The compounds of formula (I) are useful as kinase inhibitors and as such would be useful in treating certain conditions and diseases, especially inflammatory conditions and diseases and proliferative disorders and conditions, for example, cancers.
US07709465B2
Compounds and related methods for synthesis, and the use of compounds and combination therapies for the treatment of cancer and modulation of apoptosis in cells are disclosed. Particularly disclosed are phosphonate esters. Compounds, methods of making the compounds, medicaments and method of manufacture of medicaments and therapeutic methods with applications against cancer including breast cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, leukemia and lymphoma, and other cancer cells are described.
US07709464B2
In order to form liposomes with a longer half-life in blood, use is made of defined compounds with the general formula (A)
US07709463B2
The invention relates to a dose of 2.5 mg of the pentasaccharide methyl O-(2,3,4-tri-O-methyl-6-O-sulfo-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)-O-(2,3-di-O-methyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid)-(1→4)-O-(2,3,6-tri-O-sulfo-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)-O-(2,3-di-O-methyl-α-L-idopyranosyl uronic acid)-(1→4)-2,3,6-tri-O-sulfo-α-D-glucopyranoside or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use in therapy, in particular for the treatment of venous thromboembolic events in patients with deep venous thrombosis.
US07709453B2
Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the RNAi pathway. The compositions comprise oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acid molecules encoding EIF2C2. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of RNA interference as well as EIF2C2 expression and for diagnosis and treatment of disease associated with expression of EIF2C2 are provided. Also provided are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating the expression of DDX36. The compositions comprise oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acid encoding DDX36. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of DDX36 expression and for diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions associated with expression of DDX36 are provided.
US07709452B2
The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition which combines a tetrafunctional copolymer with a nucleic acid, said copolymer having formula I (namely a poloxamine), and preferably taking the form of one of the cationic mineral or organic salts thereof. The inventive composition can be used to improve in vivo gene transfer.
US07709449B2
The invention provides compounds capable of treating against hepatitis infections, particularly hepatitis B viral infections. Compounds of the invention are nucleic acid-based and preferably comprise 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 nucleoside units.
US07709445B2
An aqueous suspension, stable in physiological medium, of nanoparticles for delivering active principles such as insulin. The delivery particles are based on a three-block copolymer: polyethylene glycol/hydrophilic polyaminoacid/hydrophobic polyaminoacid. These three-block copolymers can be associated with an active principle without denaturing it, and perform a controlled and long-term release of the active principle in vivo, and thus provide the active principle with a very prolonged release. Also disclosed is a powder form solid from which are derived the delivery particles, the preparation of the powder-form solid, a suspension of delivery particles based on the three-block copolymer, and pharmaceutical specialties obtainable from the delivery particles filled with active principle.
US07709444B2
Pharmaceutical formulations are described comprising an echinocandin compound or echinocandin/carbohydrate complex and a pharmaceutically acceptable micelle-forming surfactant in a non-toxic aqueous solvent such that the solubilization of the echinocandin compound is optimized and the ability to freeze-dry the solution is maintained. Both the solution and freeze-dried formulations have increased stability. A bulking agent, tonicity agent buffer and/or a stabilizing agent may optionally be added to the formulations to further enhance the stability of the formulation.
US07709436B2
Liquid laundry detergent compositions are provided that show remarkable performance even though they utilize only eco-friendly ingredients and have a sustainability index of greater than 3. Some embodiments include a liquid laundry detergent composition comprising alkyl polyglycoside (APG) with fatty alcohol sulfate, at least two detersive enzymes, an enzyme stabilization system (e.g. borate and/or citrate and/or calcium salts), d-limonene or other natural essence, water and adjuvant. In another exemplary embodiment, APG is combined with fatty acid soaps, at least two detersive enzymes, an enzyme stabilization system (e.g. borate and/or citrate and/or calcium salts), d-limonene or other natural essence, water and adjuvant. Such compositions show remarkable performance, good viscosity, physical storage stability, enzyme stability, and have a sustainability index of greater than 3.
US07709433B2
A self-sticking disintegrating cleansing block to be attached directly to a wall of a toilet bowl or urinal, above the water-line and in the stream of flush water, by pressing the cleansing block to the wall. The cleaning block includes 25% to 99% of a solid surfactant, and 1% to 25% of a liquid component. The cleansing block may include a substrate removably attached to a surface of the cleansing block. In use, the substrate is removed from the cleansing block and the exposed surface of the cleansing block is pressed to a surface in a position above any waterline that is contacted by a rinse liquid that disintegrates the cleansing block. Rinse liquid is then allowed to contact the cleansing block such that an amount of the cleansing block is mixed with rinse fluid to clean the surface or a liquid reservoir adjacent the surface.
US07709431B2
A solid composition comprising oil core aphrons dispersed in a solid surfactant.
US07709428B2
A substantially anhydrous, thickened, spreadable, warming lubricant composition comprising a mixture of glycerin, polyhydric alcohol, a non-ionic surfactant, and a Carbomer thickener, the surfactant improving wetting and spreadability of the composition on skin and latex, and the thickener providing a creamy rich feel to the composition, such that the composition can be applied to skin or a condom and provide an optimal warming effect upon contact with ambient moisture during use and such that the composition can be added to a condom package and, over the course of a week, spread and coat nearly the entire internal and external surfaces of the condom.
US07709422B2
A method of boring a tunnel by means of an earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine, comprising the injection at the cutting head of a foamed aqueous solution and an aqueous solution of a water-soluble acrylic acid-based polymer. The method allows easier tunnel boring in soft, sticky soils.
US07709414B2
An engine exhaust catalyst exhibits improved CO oxidation performance relative to conventional engine exhaust catalysts and includes a first supported catalyst comprising platinum and a second supported catalyst comprising palladium and gold species in close contact. The first supported catalyst may be a platinum catalyst, a platinum—palladium catalyst, or a platinum catalyst promoted with bismuth, and the second supported catalyst preferably has a palladium to gold weight ratio of about 0.85:1.0. To improve aged catalyst performance, the first and second supported catalysts are coated onto different layers, zones, or monoliths of the substrate for the engine exhaust catalyst.
US07709412B2
The invention relates to a bulk metal hydrotreating catalyst, suitable for the production of low sulfur diesel fuels, said bulk metal hydrotreating catalyst being in the oxide state and having a composition of MoxCoyNbz, excluding the oxygen, wherein x, y, and z represent about 0.1 to about 2 moles of Mo, about 0.5 to about 2 moles of Co, and about 0.1 to about 2 moles Nb and wherein Nb is present in amounts from about 2 to about 45 wt. %, Mo is present in amounts from about 1 to about 50 wt. %, and Co is present in amounts from about 10 to about 45 wt. %.
US07709404B2
The invention concerns a process for making a scrim-reinforced prepreg for use in building low-porosity lay-ups, characterized in that a conventional prepreg is formed of a fibrous reinforcement and a heat-curable resin, the prepreg having suitable viscosity and sufficient tackiness to hold a scrim which is adhered to the prepreg by applying light pressure, so that the scrim is impressed onto the prepreg to such a degree, that less than half of the circumference of the scrim strands becomes coated by the prepreg-resin.
US07709399B2
The present invention provides atomic layer deposition systems and methods that include metal compounds with at least one β-diketiminate ligand. Such systems and methods can be useful for depositing metal-containing layers on substrates.
US07709393B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. In particular, a method for removing unwanted material layers from an edge and lower bevel region of a wafer is provided. The method includes performing a first etch of an edge region of a wafer having material layers formed thereon, coating the wafer with a photoresist layer, and patterning the photoresist layer to expose at least the edge and an upper bevel region of the wafer for etching the material layers remaining after performing the first etch.
US07709390B2
Methods of isolating spaces formed between features in an array during a pitch reduction process and semiconductor device structures having the same. In one embodiment, ends of the features are wider than middle regions of the features. During the pitch reduction process, spacer sidewalls formed between adjacent ends of the features come into substantial contact with one another, isolating the spaces between the features. In another embodiment, the features have a single width and an additional feature is located near ends of the features. Spacer sidewalls formed between adjacent features and the additional feature come into substantial contact with one another, isolating the spaces between the features.
US07709387B2
The method of manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) according to the invention starts with providing a pre-fabricated integrated circuit (10) comprising an electrical device (2) and having a surface (11) coated with a dielectric material (12) and a metal (15). The dielectric material (12), which may be separated from the metal (15) by the barrier layer (14), has an opening (13), which is filled with the metal (15). Portions of the metal (15) outside the opening (13) are removed by polishing for a first period of time, after which an etching agent (25) is added to the polishing liquid (24) and polishing is continued for a second period of time for removing portions of the metal (15) remaining outside the opening (13). The polishing apparatus (40) is able to perform the method.
US07709386B2
There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the following steps: flowing a first precursor gas to the semiconductor substrate within the ALD chamber to form a first discrete monolayer on the semiconductor substrate; flowing an inert purge gas to the semiconductor substrate within the ALD chamber; flowing a second precursor gas to the ALD chamber to react with the first precursor gas which has formed the first monolayer, thereby forming a first discrete compound monolayer; and flowing an inert purge gas; and forming a second discrete compound monolayer above the semiconductor substrate by the same process as that for forming the first discrete compound monolayer. There is also provided a semiconductor device in which the charge trapping layer is a dielectric layer containing the first and second discrete compound monolayers formed by the ALD method.
US07709382B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods of electroprocessing a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method comprises pressing a substrate against a polishing pad with a force less than about two pounds per square inch, the substrate contacting a first electrode of the polishing pad, applying an electrical bias to the substrate with the first electrode relative to a second electrode of the polishing pad, wherein the second electrode is disposed below the second electrode, and biasing a third electrode disposed in the polishing pad radially outward of the second electrode.
US07709378B2
A method and apparatus for processing a thin metal layer on a substrate to control the grain size, grain shape, and grain boundary location and orientation in the metal layer by irradiating the metal layer with a first excimer laser pulse having an intensity pattern defined by a mask to have shadow regions and beamlets. Each region of the metal layer overlapped by a beamlet is melted throughout its entire thickness, and each region of the metal layer overlapped by a shadow region remains at least partially unmelted. After completion of resolidification of the melted regions following irradiation by the first excimer laser pulse, the metal layer is irradiated by a second excimer laser pulse having a shifted intensity pattern so that the shadow regions overlap regions of the metal layer having fewer and larger grains.
US07709373B1
A system and method are provided to facilitate dual damascene interconnect integration in a single imprint step. The method provides for creation of a translucent imprint mold with three-dimensional features comprising the dual damascene pattern to be imprinted. The imprint mold is brought into contact with a photopolymerizable organosilicon imaging layer deposited upon a transfer layer which is spin coated or otherwise deposited upon a dielectric layer of a substrate. When the photopolymerizable layer is exposed to a source of illumination, it cures with a structure matching the dual damascene pattern of the imprint mold. A halogen breakthrough etch followed by oxygen transfer etch transfer the vias from the imaging layer into the transfer layer. A second halogen breakthrough etch followed by a second oxygen transfer etch transfer the trenches from the imaging layer into the transfer layer. A dielectric etch transfers the pattern from the transfer layer into the dielectric layer. A metal fill process then fills the dual damascene openings of the dielectric layer with metal.
US07709368B2
A method for easily manufacturing a semiconductor device in which variation in thickness or disconnection of a source electrode or a drain electrode is prevented is proposed A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer formed over an insulating substrate; a first insulating layer formed over the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode formed over the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer formed over the gate electrode; an opening which reaches the semiconductor layer and is formed at least in the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer; and a step portion formed at a side surface of the second insulating layer in the opening.
US07709365B2
A method for forming a CMOS well structure including forming a plurality of first conductivity type wells over a substrate, each of the plurality of first conductivity type wells formed in a respective opening in a first mask. A cap is formed over each of the first conductivity type wells, and the first mask is removed. Sidewall spacers are formed on sidewalls of each of the first conductivity type wells. A plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed, each of the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed between respective first conductivity type wells. A plurality of shallow trench isolations are formed between the first conductivity type wells and second conductive type wells. The plurality of first conductivity type wells are formed by a first selective epitaxial growth process, and the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed by a second selective epitaxial growth process.
US07709361B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an impurity diffusion layer in a surface of a semiconductor substrate, wherein the forming the impurity diffusion layer comprises irradiating material including M1x M2y (y/x≦1.2, where x is a ratio of M1, y is a ratio of M2, M1 is material which serves as acceptor or donor in the semiconductor device, M2 is material which does not serve as neither donor nor acceptor in the semiconductor device (except semiconductor of the semiconductor substrate)) onto the semiconductor substrate, and heating the semiconductor substrate by light.
US07709358B2
Optoelectronic device including integrated light emitting device and photodiode. The optoelectronic device includes a light emitting device such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) or resonant cavity light emitting diode (RCLED). A photodiode is also included in the optoelectronic device. Between the light emitting device and the photodiode is a transition region. At least part of the transition region is shorted. A metal contact provides a contact to both the light emitting device and the photodiode.
US07709356B2
In a method of forming a pattern, a sacrificial layer pattern and a stop layer pattern for preventing or reducing an epitaxial growth may be formed on a substrate. The sacrificial layer pattern may have a first hole therethrough, and the first hole partially exposes a top surface of the substrate. At least one active pattern may be formed on a bottom and a sidewall of the first hole by performing a selective epitaxial growth process on the top surface of the substrate and a sidewall of the sacrificial layer pattern. The sacrificial layer pattern and the stop layer pattern for preventing or reducing the epitaxial growth may be removed from the substrate. The at least one active pattern formed by the above method may have a finer size and an improved shaped compared to a conventional active pattern formed by directly patterning layers using a photoresist pattern. Damages in a photolithography process may be prevented or reduced from being generated.
US07709353B2
A method for producing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a predetermined device in a device layer grown on a semiconductor substrate with a sacrificial layer provided therebetween; and removing the sacrificial layer by etching to separate the semiconductor substrate from the device layer while a supporting substrate is bonded to the side of the device layer, wherein in the step of removing the sacrificial layer, a groove extending from the device layer to the sacrificial layer is formed before the sacrificial layer is removed, and the etching solution is allowed to penetrate to the sacrificial layer through the groove.
US07709351B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of: preparing a bonding sheet having one or more holes that penetrate from a first surface to an opposite second surface thereof, and a semiconductor wafer having a semiconductor element; affixing the bonding sheet to a predetermined surface of the semiconductor wafer; and evacuating gas present between the bonding sheet and the semiconductor wafer via the one or more holes.
US07709350B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor elemental device including an SOI structure in which an SOI layer is laminated, includes the steps of setting transistor forming regions and a device isolation region to the SOI layer, forming a pad oxide film over the SOI layer and forming an oxidation-resistant film over the pad oxide film; forming a resist mask in a region corresponding to each of the transistor forming regions, and etching the oxidation-resistant film and the pad oxide film with the resist mask as a mask to expose the SOI layer of the device isolation region; removing the resist mask and oxidizing the exposed SOI layer by a LOCOS method using the oxidation-resistant film to form a field oxide film; and implanting amorphization ions in an edge portion formed in the SOI layer upon formation of the field oxide film to amorphize the edge portion.
US07709347B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, including: forming a first well of a second conduction type and a second well of a first conduction type on a semiconductor substrate of the first conduction type, forming a gate oxide corresponding to each element on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, forming trenches by etching at forming locations of first and second trench isolating regions respectively at a first depth larger than a depth of a diffusion layer formed in a memory-cell forming region within the second well and smaller than a depth of a diffusion layer of a transistor of a peripheral circuit region, executing additional etching at a forming location of the second trench isolating region so that a second depth larger than the first depth is obtained and doping the trenches at the forming locations of the first and second trench isolating regions respectively, with a doping agent, thereby executing a planarization process.
US07709346B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of gate trenches, each of which has first inner walls, which face each other in a first direction which is perpendicular to a second direction in which active regions extend, and second inner walls, which face each other in the second direction in which the active regions extends. An isolation layer contacts a gate insulating layer throughout the entire length of the first inner walls of the gate trenches including from entrance portions of the gate trenches to bottom portions of the gate trenches, and a plurality of channel regions are disposed adjacent to the gate insulating layers in the semiconductor substrate along the second inner walls and the bottom portions of the gate trenches.
US07709343B2
A method used to form a semiconductor device having a capacitor comprises placing a semiconductor wafer assembly into a chamber of a plasma source, the wafer assembly comprising a layer of insulation having at least one contact therein and a surface, and further comprising a conductive layer over the surface and in the contact. Next, in the chamber, a layer of etch resistant material is formed within the contact over the conductive layer, the etch resistant material not forming over the surface.
US07709335B2
Provided may be a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method may include forming a plurality of isolation patterns including conductive patterns on a semiconductor substrate and forming gaps between the isolation patterns, forming active patterns filling the gaps on the semiconductor substrate, forming a gate insulation layer on the isolation patterns and the active patterns, and forming gate patterns on the gate insulation layer.
US07709334B2
A stacked non-volatile memory device comprises a plurality of bit line and word line layers stacked on top of each other. The bit line layers comprise a plurality of bit lines that can be formed using advanced processing techniques making fabrication of the device efficient and cost effective. The device can be configured for NAND operation.
US07709332B2
A first gate, formed on a substrate, is surmounted by a hard layer designed, with first spacers surrounding the first gate, to act as etching mask to bound the channel and a pad that bounds a space subsequently used to form a gate cavity. The hard layer is preferably made of silicon nitride. Before flipping and bonding, a bounding layer, preferably made of amorphous silicon or polysilicon, is formed to bound drain and source areas. After flipping and bonding of the assembly on a second substrate, a second gate is formed in the gate cavity. At least partial silicidation of the bounding layer is then performed before the metal source and drain electrodes are produced.
US07709331B2
A method of forming devices including forming a first region and a second region in a semiconductor substrate is provided. The method further includes forming a semiconductive material over the first region, wherein the semiconductive material has a different electrical property than the first semiconductor substrate, forming a first dielectric material over the first region, depositing a second dielectric material over the first dielectric material and over the second region, wherein the second dielectric material is different than the first dielectric material, and depositing a gate electrode material over the high dielectric constant material. In one embodiment, the semiconductive material is silicon germanium and the semiconductor substrate is silicon.
US07709330B2
Provided are high voltage metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (HVMOSFET) having a Si/SiGe heterojunction structure and method of manufacturing the same. In this method, a substrate on which a Si layer, a relaxed SiGe epitaxial layer, a SiGe epitaxial layer, and a Si epitaxial layer are stacked or a substrate on which a Si layer having a well region, a SiGe epitaxial layer, and a Si epitaxial layer are stacked is formed. For the device having the heterojunction structure, the number of conduction carriers through a potential well and the mobility of the carriers increase to reduce an on resistance, thus increasing saturation current. Also, an intensity of vertical electric field decreases so that a breakdown voltage can be maintained at a very high level. Further, a reduction in vertical electric field due to the heterojunction structure leads to a gain in transconductance (Gm), with the results that a hot electron effect is inhibited and the reliability of the device is enhanced.
US07709324B2
Gate trenches 108 are formed in a memory cell region M using a silicon nitride film 103 as a mask in a state in which the semiconductor substrate 100 in a P-type peripheral circuit region P and an N-type peripheral circuit region N is covered by a gate insulating film 101s, a protective film 102, and the silicon nitride film 103. A gate insulating film 109 is then formed on the inner walls of the gate trenches 108, and a silicon film 110 that includes an N-type impurity is embedded in the gate trenches 108. The silicon nitride film 103 is then removed, and a non-doped silicon film is formed on the entire surface, after which a P-type impurity is introduced into the non-doped silicon film on region P, and an N-type impurity is introduced into the non-doped silicon film on regions M and N.
US07709315B2
An interface between a bottom oxide film and a silicon nitride film in a neighborhood of a bottom part of a select gate is located at a position as high as or higher than that of an interface between a silicon substrate (p-type well) and a gate insulating film (d≧0) Further, the gate insulating film and the bottom oxide film are successively and smoothly jointed in the neighborhood of the bottom part of the select gate. By this configuration, localization in a distribution of electrons injected into the silicon nitride film in the writing is mitigated and electrons to be left unerased by hot-hole erasing are reduced. Therefore, not only the increase ratio of the electrons left unerased in the writing can be reduced, but also the problem in which the threshold voltage does not decrease to the predetermined voltage in the deletion can be suppressed.
US07709299B2
An embodiment of the present invention is method of forming an array of 2 transistor DRAM cells organized in rows and columns in which the rows represent words and columns represent bits of the words, each bit column having a pair of balanced, true and complement bit lines, the bit lines being connected in a hierarchical bit line structure, comprising at least one local bit line pair and one global bit line pair, a sensing circuit connected to the global bit line pair detects a differential voltage transition on either line during a read access and provides a sensing strobe signal.
US07709298B2
A method for selectively altering a predetermined portion of an object or an external member in contact with the predetermined portion of the object is disclosed. The method includes selectively electrically addressing the predetermined portion, thereby locally resistive heating the predetermined portion, and exposing the object, including the predetermined portion, to the external member.
US07709297B2
A method of forming a microelectronic package including the steps of providing a three-layer metal plate, having a first layer, a second layer and a third layer. A plurality of conductive elements is formed from the first layer of the metal plate. A dielectric sheet is attached to the first layer of the metal plate, such that the dielectric sheet is remote from the third layer. A plurality of conductive features is then formed from the third layer of the metal plate which are also remote from the dielectric sheet. A microelectronic element is next electrically conducted to the conductive elements and a heat spreader is thermally connected the microelectronic element.
US07709295B2
In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a passivation film made of a polyimide resin film is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor wafer including a scribe line and an outer circumferential portion. Thereafter, only the passivation film which is formed on the scribe line of the semiconductor wafer and on the outer circumferential portion of the semiconductor wafer is selectively removed. A protective tape is then bonded onto the front surface of the semiconductor wafer, followed by grinding of a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer.
US07709292B2
The present invention includes processes and packaging for high voltage integrated circuits (ICs), high voltage electronic devices and high voltage electronic circuits which operate over a wide range of voltages, e.g., from tens of volts to tens of thousands of volts. The inventive processes and packaging are particularly suitable for integrating low or lower voltage circuits or transistors to form high voltage ICs, high voltage electronic devices and high voltage electronic circuits. The inventive processes and packaging are also particularly suitable for isolating high voltage electronics to achieve high breakdown voltages and for supporting high voltage operation. The inventive processes may be used with any suitable semiconductor materials using conventional semiconductor fabrication and related facilities.
US07709287B2
A method of forming a multijunction solar cell includes providing a substrate, forming a first subcell by depositing a nucleation layer over the substrate and a buffer layer including gallium arsenide (GaAs) over the nucleation layer, forming a middle second subcell having a heterojunction base and emitter disposed over the first subcell and forming first and second tunnel junction layers between the first and second subcells. The first tunnel junction layer includes GaAs over the first subcell and the second tunnel junction layer includes aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) over the first tunnel junction layer. The method further includes forming a third subcell having a homojunction base and emitter disposed over the middle subcell.
US07709286B2
An image sensor includes defining an active region in a substrate by forming a device isolating layer; and then sequentially forming a photodiode and a logic unit in the active region; and then forming a first passivation layer on the photodiode and the logic unit; and then forming a trench in the first passivation layer by selectively removing a portion of the first protective layer corresponding to an uppermost surface of the photodiode; and then forming a second passivation layer buried in the trench. Forming a thick second passivation layer in the trench which spatially corresponds to the photodiode can offset dangling bonds on the surface of the substrate in a subsequent annealing process while also reducing dark current and enhance photosensitivity of the photodiode.
US07709279B2
An apparatus and method for providing external electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection to a semiconductor device, which may or may not include its own ESD protection, are provided. An ESD structure may be associated with each interconnect, either individually or shared between two or more interconnects. Each interconnect includes a contact tip for establishing a temporary electrical connection with a bond pad of the semiconductor device and a contact pad for electrically interfacing the bond pad with external burn-in and/or test equipment. The ESD structure may be implemented, for example, as a fusible element or a shunting element, such as a pair of diodes, a diode-resistor network, or a pair of transistors. The interconnect may be employed as part of an insert including a plurality of interconnects that provides ESD protection to a plurality of integrated circuits of at least one semiconductor device.
US07709274B1
A method for forming an RuOx electrode comprising depositing a TiW layer on an RuOx layer, forming a photo-resist mask on the TiW layer, in order to mask the TiW layer into a masked TiW layer, etching the masked TiW layer with a CF4 plasma, a TiW mask being formed on the RuOx layer, the CF4 plasma is not etching the RuOx and vaporizing unmasked RuOx portion of the RuOx layer with an oxygen plasma, the masked RuOx layer being formed into an RuOx electrode.
US07709273B2
Methods, compositions and kits are disclosed. The compositions are light emitting and comprise a polymeric matrix having dissolved therein a photoactive compound. The composition has the characteristic that, after activation of the photoactive compound, the rate of decrease in the intensity of light emission at any time during a 20-fold decrease in the intensity is proportional to the intensity of the light emission. In one embodiment the polymeric matrix is comprised of particles of about 20 nm to about 100 μm in diameter to which is bound a specific binding pair member. The particles generally comprise a polymeric matrix having dissolved therein about 1 to about 20% by weight of a dopant. The compositions may be used in methods for determining an analyte. A combination is provided comprising (1) a medium suspected of containing the analyte, (2) and the aforementioned composition. The photoactive substance is activated and the effect of the activating on the optical properties of the combination is detected. The presence and amount of the effect is related to the presence and amount of the analyte in the medium. Also disclosed are kits for use in an assay.
US07709270B2
Provided are purified and isolated VEGF-C polypeptides capable of binding to at least one of KDR receptor tyrosine kinase (VEGFR-2) and Flt4 receptor tyrosine kinase (VEGFR-3); analogs of such peptides that have VEGF-C-like or VEGF-like biological activities or that are VEGF or VEGF-C inhibitors; polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides; vectors and host cells that embody the polynucleotides; pharmaceutical compositions and diagnostic reagents comprising the polypeptides; and methods of making and using the polypeptides.
US07709266B2
A method of imaging the individual components of systems with sparse spectra using magnetic resonance imaging including the steps of a) exciting nuclei of labeled components using a MRI pulse sequence, b) selecting a proper spectral window to avoid/minimize signal overlap of aliased frequency components. In step a) preferably a spiral chemical shift imaging (spCSI) sequence is employed. In a preferred embodiment, hyperpolarized nuclei of 13C are used for labeling in a pyruvate substrate with metabolites of lacatate, alanine, and bicarbonate.
US07709263B2
The invention relates to compounds, to the complexes they form with a lanthanide, and to the use of the complexes for fluorescence marking or NMR imaging.The complex consists of an Ln ion and a ligand R2—C(X—R1)(R3)—NR4R5. R1 is a functional group, X is a single bond or a hydrocarbon-based chain consisting of at least one alkylene or alkenylene group optionally comprising at least one hetero atom or an arylene. R2 is an anionic group A2 or a C1-C4 alkylene or alkenylene group bearing at least one such group A2 and optionally comprising at least one hetero atom. R3 is H or a C1-C5 alkylene or alkenylene group optionally containing at least one hetero atom, and optionally bearing at least one anionic group A3. R4 is a substituent with light-absorbing properties that forms chelate rings with Ln. R5 is a substituent that forms chelate rings with Ln.
US07709262B2
The present invention is directed to a method for detecting and quantifying rare mutations in a nucleic acid sample. The nucleic acid molecules under investigation can be either DNA or RNA. The rare mutation can be any type of functional or non-functional nucleic acid change or mutation, such as deletion, insertion, translocation, inversion, one or more base substitution or polymorphism. Therefore, the methods of the present invention are useful in detection of rare mutations in, for example, diagnostic, prognostic and follow-up applications, when the targets are rare known nucleic acid variants mixed in with the wildtype or the more common nucleic acid variant(s).
US07709258B2
The present invention relates generally to high-throughput assay methods that determine the proliferative status of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The present invention further relates to high-throughput assays for screening compounds that modulate the growth of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and for identifying subpopulations thereof that are suitable for transplantation. The assay of the present invention is particularly useful for quality control and monitoring of the growth potential in the stem cell transplant setting and would provide improved control over the reconstitution phase of transplanted cells.
US07709246B2
Disclosed is a device for detecting bioelectric signals from spheroids comprising a measuring chamber having a measuring chamber wall which encloses a volume, which is open at least at one side, is composed of an electrically non-conducting material, and has, in at least one measuring region, an inner cross section, which corresponds as far as possible to the largest cross section of a spheroid, comprising at least a number of electrodes which are disposed in a common plane inside said measuring chamber wall and each electrode has a freely accessible electrode surface which is oriented towards the measuring region, and comprising an impedance measuring arrangement which is connected to the electrodes. The device and the method can be used to test substances in 3D biological in-vitro (three-dimensional) cell aggregates.
US07709232B2
The present invention relate to a method of detecting a genetic recombinant by using the PCR method. A method of quantitatively detecting method is provided whereby the total content ratio of the genetic recombinants and the individual content ratio of the genetic recombinant in a population containing plural genetic recombinant lines can be quantified. The method of the present invention comprises performing PCR for the DNA sequence specific to the recombinant and the endogenous DNA sequence shared by the species corresponding to the recombinant using, as a standard molecule, a molecule containing the DNA sequence specific to the recombinant and the endogenous DNA sequence shared by the species on the single molecule, and determining the content ratio of the number of molecules thereof.
US07709231B2
The invention provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID No. 35; or (b) a nucleotide sequence which is the complement of SEQ ID No. 35; or (c) a nucleotide sequence which is degenerate with SEQ ID No. 35; or (d) a nucleotide sequence hybridising under conditions of high stringency to SEQ ID No. 35, to the complement of SEQ ID No. 35, or to a hybridisation probe derived from SEQ ID No. 35 or the complement thereof; or (e) a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% sequence identity with SEQ ID No. 35; or (f) a nucleotide sequence having at least 65% sequence identity with SEQ ID No. 35 wherein said sequence preferably encodes or is complementary to a sequence encoding a nystatin PKS enzyme or a part thereof. Also provided are part of such molecules and polypeptides (and parts thereof) encoded by such a nucleic acid molecule, and the use of such molecules and polypeptides in facilitating nystatin biosynthesis and in the synthesis of nystatin derivatives and novel polyketide as macrolide structures.
US07709228B2
Compositions comprising activatable recombinant neurotoxins and polypeptides derived therefrom. The invention also comprises nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides, and methods of making such polypeptides and nucleic acids.
US07709220B2
Disclosed are nucleic acids encoding BAFF-R polypeptides, as well as antibodies to BAFF-R polypeptides and pharmaceutical compositions including the same. Methods of treating tumorigenic and autoimmune conditions using the nucleic acids, polypeptides, antibodies and pharmaceutical compositions of this invention are also provided.
US07709218B2
The present invention relates to novel Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor proteins. In particular, isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided encoding the human TNFR-6α & -6β proteins. TNFR-6α & -6β polypeptides and antibodies that bind TNFR-6α & -6β polypeptides are also provided as are vectors, host cells and recombinant methods for producing the same. The invention further relates to screening methods for identifying agonists and antagonists of TNFR-6α & -6β activity. Also provided are diagnostic methods for detecting immune system-related disorders and therapeutic methods for treating immune system-related disorders.
US07709212B2
The present invention provides a method for detecting the presence or amount of an analyte in a sample, said method comprising: a porous surface to which particles having attached thereto a binding substance, analyte and binding substance coated label particles are added. If said analyte is present in the sample an immuno- or chemical reaction occurs in the liquid phase. The separation of bound complex from unbound material is achieved by using said surface where the separation occurs mainly two dimensionally on the surface of the porous surface (e.g. grid). Interestingly, the disclosed surface enables a separation where said complexes are distributed two dimensionally on the porous surface (e.g. grid), whereas unbound materials are distributed three dimensionally. Accordingly, said surface enables both a two and a three dimensional separation.
US07709208B2
The present invention relates to methods of diagnosing, prognosing or treating diseases or disorders in which elevated levels of Abeta protein, including abeta1-42 are prevalent. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of diagnosing, prognosing or treating a major or minor depressive episode/disorder attributed to elevated levels of Abeta protein, including abeta1-42, found particularly in body fluids including whole blood, blood cells, serum, plasma, urine and CSF. The invention also relates to the treatment of these disorders by administering an agent that either prevents production of Abeta, prevents aggregation of Abeta fibrils, or that increases the degradation or clearance of Abeta. In addition, the invention provides a method of treating or preventing a major or minor depressive disorder comprising administering an agent that prevents or interferes with Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such agents and methods of screening for novel agents.
US07709198B2
Methods of detecting nucleic acids, including methods of detecting two or more nucleic acids in multiplex branched-chain DNA assays, are provided. Nucleic acids captured on a solid support are detected, for example, through cooperative hybridization events that result in specific association of a label with the nucleic acids. Compositions, kits, and systems related to the methods are also described.
US07709197B2
The invention provides methods and kits for ordering sequence information derived from one or more target polynucleotides. In one aspect, one or more tiers or levels of fragmentation and aliquoting are generated, after which sequence information is obtained from fragments in a final level or tier. Each fragment in such final tier is from a particular aliquot, which, in turn, is from a particular aliquot of a prior tier, and so on. For every fragment of an aliquot in the final tier, the aliquots from which it was derived at every prior tier is known, or can be discerned. Thus, identical sequences from overlapping fragments from different aliquots can be distinguished and grouped as being derived from the same or different fragments from prior tiers. When the fragments in the final tier are sequenced, overlapping sequence regions of fragments in different aliquots are used to register the fragments so that non-overlapping regions are ordered. In one aspect, this process is carried out in a hierarchical fashion until the one or more target polynucleotides are characterized, e.g. by their nucleic acid sequences, or by an ordering of sequence segments, or by an ordering of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), or the like.
US07709190B2
The present invention includes compositions and methods related to the structure and function of the cellular polyadenylation and specificity factor 30 (CPSF30) binding site on the surface of the influenza A non-structural protein 1 (NS1). Specifically, critical biochemical reagents, conditions for crystallization and NMR analysis, assays, and general processes are described for (i) discovering, designing, and optimizing small molecule inhibitors of influenza A (avian flu) viruses and (ii) creating attenuated influenza virus strains suitable for avian and human flu vaccine development.
US07709189B1
A method of predicting the lymphotrophic metastatic potential of a solid non-lymphoid tumor. The percentage of cells of each of a plurality of representative samples of the tumor which express lymphoid gene products is determined. The metastatic potential is predicted to be low when no tumor cells in all of the samples are detected to express lymphoid gene products. The metastatic potential is predicted to be high when a high percentage of tumor cells in at least one of the samples are detected to express lymphoid gene products. Expression of SYKB in any of a plurality of samples of a primary colon tumor is indicative that the primary colon tumor has lymphotrophic metastatic potential.
US07709188B2
The subject invention relates to a multiple-allelic RT-real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for coronaviruses including the SARS virus. Multiple target sequences within the SARS-CoV, S, E, M and N genes are identified. The use of the four different targets enhances the likelihood that the fundamental genetic drift of the virus will not lead to a false negative result. Multiplex assays format for the assay are envisioned. Thus, the present invention allows for early diagnosis of a SARS infection. The assay would be useful in the context of monitoring treatment regimens, screening potential anti SARS agents, and similar applications requiring qualitative and quantitative determinations.
US07709176B2
A method for producing a polymerized toner comprising a step of polymerizing a polymerizable monomer composition in an aqueous dispersion medium in the presence of a polymerization initiator to obtain a dispersion liquid of colored polymer particles and a stripping step of injecting a gas comprised of air or an inert gas into the dispersion liquid of the colored polymer particles while stirring the dispersion liquid in an evaporator and the flow rate of the gas injected per weight of the colored polymer particles being 0.05 to 4 L/(hr·kg), the pressure of the vapor phase of the evaporator being 5 to 80 kPa.
US07709173B2
A toner comprising a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the binder resin comprises an urea modified polyester, the urea modified polyester being prepared by urea-bonding an isocyanate-modified crystalline polyester segment and an isocyanate-modified amorphous polyester using an amine crosslinking agent.
US07709170B2
A latent electrostatic image bearing member including at least a support, a photoconductive layer on the support and a surface layer on the photoconductive layer, wherein a film having the same composition as the surface layer is formed on a slide glass such that the film had a thickness of 5 μm; and the haze value measured after rubbing the film with a steel wool of #000 and a load of 500 gf for 50 times is 10% or less.
US07709161B2
In a photomask blank serving as a base member for producing a halftone-type phase shift mask in which a light-transmissive substrate is formed thereon with a light-semitransmissive phase shift pattern having a desired opening, a light-semitransmissive phase shift film, a chromium film, and an etching mask film are stacked in order on the light-transmissive substrate. The etching mask film is made of an inorganic-based material having a resistance against dry etching of the chromium film. The photomask blank further may has a resist film formed on the etching mask film.
US07709160B2
One inventive aspect relates to an attenuated phase shift mask suitable for hyper NA lithographic processing of a device, to a method of making such a mask and to hyper NA lithographic processing using such a mask. The attenuated phase shift mask is made taking into the effect of the numerical aperture of the lithographic system on which the attenuated phase shift mask is to be used.
US07709157B2
The present invention provides a safe non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with characteristics analogous to those of a conventional battery by minimizing battery expansion that causes damage to a device during high temperature exposure or storage. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises: (a) a chargeable and dischargeable positive electrode; (b) a negative electrode capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium; (c) a separator for preventing direct electron transfer between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and (d) an non-aqueous electrolyte; the non-aqueous electrolyte comprising a non-aqueous solvent and a solute, the non-aqueous solvent comprising a lactone, the solute comprising lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide represented by the formula (1): (F—O2S—N—SO2—F)Li.
US07709147B2
A storage battery includes: a bottomed metal case (10) accommodating an electrolyte and a collector (7) having a flat plate connected to one side of an electrode assembly (5) containing a strip-shaped positive electrode plate (1), a strip-shaped negative electrode plate (2), and a separator (6); a sealing plate (11) sealing upside of the bottomed metal case; and a lead terminal (9) electrically connecting the sealing plate to the collector, wherein the collector has at least one projection (13) and the collector and the lead terminal are electrically connected with each other via the projection. This construction eliminates the problem of increased contact resistance between the lead terminal and the collector and realizes a storage battery having high current discharging performance in which the contact resistance is reduced.
US07709142B2
A battery capable of obtaining a high energy density and obtaining superior cycle characteristics is provided. The thickness of a cathode active material layer is from 100 μm to 130 μm. The thickness of an anode active material layer is from 85 μm to 120 μm, and the volume density of the anode active material layer is from 1.7 g/cm3 to 1.85 g/cm3. An electrolytic solution contains 4-fluoro-1,3-dioxolane-2-one. Thereby, even when the thicknesses of the cathode active material layer and the anode active material layer are increased, the diffusion and acceptance of lithium in an anode are improved, and superior cycle characteristics can be obtained.
US07709141B2
Electrode assemblies easily impregnated with an electrolyte are provided. A sealing tape attached to the outer circumference of the electrode assembly comprises a material having an affinity for the electrolyte. Alternatively, the entire sealing tape or a portion of the tape is coated with the material. In another alternative, the surface of the sealing tape is rough, thereby improving wetting of the tape by the electrolyte and diffusion of the electrolyte into the tape. In another embodiment, first and second insulating plates comprise a material having an affinity for the electrolyte. In another alternative, the insulating plates comprise a mixture of a material having an affinity for the electrolyte and polypropylene or polyethylene. Alternatively, the surfaces of the insulating plates are coated with the material or with a surfactant that reduces the surface tension of the electrolyte.
US07709120B2
A method of producing a fuel cell stack is disclosed, the method including the steps of compressing the fuel cell stack at a first pressure and compressing the fuel cell stack at a second pressure higher than the first pressure, wherein a shorting resistance of fuel cells in the fuel cell stack is maximized and a durability of the fuel cell stack is maximized.
US07709114B2
A battery pack includes a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a rigid covering member, and a protection circuit board. The secondary battery includes a battery element and a flexible covering member formed of a first laminated film composed of a first heat-bonding layer, a first metal layer, and a first outer covering layer which are laminated successively. The flexible covering material is sealed along around the battery element while leaving electrode terminals of the positive and negative electrodes extended outside the battery element. The rigid covering member covers the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery together with the flexible covering member, and is formed of a second laminated film composed of a second heat-bonding layer, a second metal layer, and a second outer covering layer which are laminated successively. The flexible covering member and the rigid covering member are bonded by melting the second heat-bonding layer without melting the first outer covering layer.
US07709109B2
An information recording medium comprises a substrate, a second recording layer, a second light transmitting layer, a first recording layer for recording different information from that to be recorded in the second recording layer, and a first light transmitting layer. The second recording layer is formed with a continuous second microscopic pattern of grooves. The first recording layer is formed with a continuous first microscopic pattern of grooves that is different from the second microscopic pattern. Both sidewalls of raised portions of the first and second microscopic patterns are formed with wobbling so as to be parallel with each other. Auxiliary information and a reference clock is recorded on these sidewalls alternately and continuously.
US07709099B2
A bonded body consisting of a ceramic member and a metal composite member of which bonding layer is less likely to be eroded by plasma is provided. The bonded body comprises the ceramic member that has two opposing main surfaces with a first metal layer provided on one of the main surfaces, the metal composite member that has two opposing main surfaces with a second metal layer provided on one of the main surfaces, and a brazing material layer that joins the first metal layer and the second metal layer, wherein the brazing material layer has an outer circumferential surface that has a depression formed therein at middle position in the direction of thickness thereof, with the depression having width at least one third the thickness of the brazing material layer.
US07709095B2
The invention relates to an infra-red reflecting layered structure comprising a transparent substrate layer; a first metal oxide layer; a first silver containing layer, a second metal oxide layer; a second silver containing layer and a third metal oxide layer. The first, second and third metal oxide layer have a refractive index of at least 2.40 at a wavelength of 500 nm. The layered structure according to the present invention laminated on glass has a visual light transmittance (VLT) higher than 70% and a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) lower than 0.44. The invention further relates to the use of a layered structure as a transparent heat-mirror.
US07709094B2
Disclosed is a co-extruded water-proof and moisture-permeable film structure, including a top skin layer, a core layer, and a bottom skin layer. The top and bottom skin layers include polyolefin or polyurethane and the core layer comprise polyurethane. The core layer is disposed between the top and bottom skin layers. If polyurethane is adopted in top and/or bottom skin layers, the polyurethane of the skin layers has lower moisture and vapor permeability than the polyurethane of the core layer. The described film can be manufactured by co-extruded bubble blown or co-extruded casting. In addition, the film can be laminated to a fabric to form a water-proof and moisture-permeable textile.
US07709091B2
A core material for a composite light weight building panel formed from a settable mixture, said mixture including an acrylic, polymer-based resin comprising: 85% by volume water based copolymer emulsion of polyvinyl acetate with versatate and/or acrylic copolymers in a water emulsion; 10% water soluble colloid protector; 5% additives; such that the resin obtains a specific gravity in the range of 1000±50 g/l and an 8 Ford viscosity at 20° C. of 7±1: and the mixture having the following ratios: from 1 to 3 liters of cement; more than 2 liters of resin; from 10 to 100 liters of light weight filler material; less than 6 kilograms of water, and such that the volume of cement is more than half the volume of resin.
US07709089B2
A rayon fiber that does not use a halide-based flame retardant, a phosphorous flame retardant or an organic solvent, has excellent flameproofness and launderability and is biodegradable when buried in the soil at the time of disposal, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The flameproof rayon fiber according to the present invention contains components of silicon and magnesium, and a compound containing the components of silicon and magnesium is amorphous. This rayon fiber can be manufactured by preparing a viscose solution, adding a solution containing a silicate compound containing an alkali metal to the viscose solution so as to make a silicic compound-added viscose spinning solution containing the alkali metal, performing spinning by extruding the silicate compound-added viscose spinning solution containing the alkali metal through a spinneret into a spinbath containing a sulfuric acid, thus producing a fiber to be treated containing the silicate compound, and treating the fiber to be treated using a magnesium-containing solution in a scouring process or an aftertreatment process.
US07709084B2
There is provided an anti-Newton ring sheet having an excellent anti-sparkle property, which can prevent the generation of sparkles when it is used in a touch panel using a high-definition color display, and a touch panel using this anti-Newton ring sheet.The anti-Newton ring sheet 1 of the present invention has an anti-Newton ring layer 3 comprising ionizing radiation curable organic-inorganic hybrid resin (binder component 32) and fine particles 31 on one surface of a transparent substrate 2, and preferably the mean diameter and the coefficient of variation of the diameter of the particle 31 is not less than 0.5 μm and not more than 3.0 μm and not less than 20% and not more than 80%, respectively, and the thickness of the anti-Newton ring layer 3 is preferably not less than 0.2 μm and not more than 3.5 μm.
US07709079B2
A method for forming self-assembled patterns on a substrate surface is provided. First, a block copolymer layer, which comprises a block copolymer having two or more immiscible polymeric block components, is applied onto a substrate that comprises a substrate surface with a trench therein. The trench specifically includes at least one narrow region flanked by two wide regions, and wherein the trench has a width variation of more than 50%. Annealing is subsequently carried out to effectuate phase separation between the two or more immiscible polymeric block components in the block copolymer layer, thereby forming periodic patterns that are defined by repeating structural units. Specifically, the periodic patterns at the narrow region of the trench are aligned in a predetermined direction and are essentially free of defects. Block copolymer films formed by the above-described method as well as semiconductor structures comprising such block copolymer films are also described.
US07709077B1
A multi-zone napkin is provided for use with a frozen treat mounted on a stick to absorb drips. A portion of the stick can be located through a mounting slot in the napkin. A distribution zone layer passes liquid through to an absorbent zone layer and may optionally be suitable for printing on a top surface, to display artwork or other messages. The absorbent zone layer retains liquid received from the distribution zone layer. A barrier zone layer can help to retain the liquid in the absorbent zone layer and prevent drips from contacting a user's hand. In addition to absorbing drips, the multi-zone napkin may provide insulation from cold and/or may be configured to provide a soft surface against a user's hand. The napkin may also be designed to inhibit drips from the frozen treat from running off the distribution zone layer.
US07709075B2
A web comprising a matrix fiber containing a non-elastic polyester based short fiber and an elastic composite fiber which is made of a thermoplastic elastomer having a melting point of at least 40° C. lower than a melting point of a polyester polymer constituting the short fiber and a non-elastic polyester, with the former being at least exposed on a surface of the fiber, and optionally a hygroscopic and exothermic fiber is heat molded such that the fibers are aligned in a thickness direction thereof, thereby obtaining a mat layer, onto which is then stuck a surface skin material to form an internal material of shoe, and a shoe insole and a boot are obtained by using the internal material of shoe.
US07709064B2
A liquid crystal composition having a nematic phase that includes two components, wherein the first component is a specific four-ring compound having phenylene, one hydrogen of which is replaced by fluorine, and the second component is a specific compound having phenylene, two hydrogens of which are replaced by halogen, and a liquid crystal display device including the composition.
US07709063B2
In a plasma CVD apparatus, a plate formed with a plurality of perforated holes is arranged to separate a plasma generation region and a processing region. The aperture ratio of the perforated holes to the plate is not greater than five percent. Plasma including radicals and excited species is generated from an oxygen (O2) gas in the plasma generation region, then the radicals and excited species flow into the processing region through the perforated holes. A monosilane (SiH4) gas is also supplied into the processing region, but the backward flow of the monosilane gas into the plasma generation region is suppressed by the plate. In the processing region, the radicals and the excited species and the monosilane gas result in a gas phase reaction that yields the silicon dioxide film formed on the substrate or the wafer with high quality.
US07709061B2
A method of providing deposits of a functional composition on a textile substrate (1) is described. The method comprises providing a supply of the textile substrate (1); providing a first digital nozzle; supplying a functional composition to the first nozzle; providing a second digital nozzle; supplying an encapsulating composition to the second nozzle; selectively depositing the functional composition from the first nozzle to form a series of functional droplets (10) on the substrate (1); and selectively depositing the encapsulation composition from the second nozzle to form a series of encapsulation droplets (16) to at least partially cover the functional droplets (10). In this way, quantities of highly specific functional compositions or “agents” may be precisely deposited at those locations where they are required and may subsequently be covered by an encapsulation composition.
US07709060B2
The present invention aims at making it possible to easily fill liquid into a droplet spraying and applying head module, while saving work. The droplet spraying and applying head module includes a droplet spraying and applying head and a tank. The droplet spraying and applying head includes a liquid chamber for containing liquid and a plurality of nozzles communicating with the liquid chamber, and sprays droplets through the nozzles The tank contains liquid to be supplied to the liquid chamber, and communicates with the liquid chamber. The droplet spraying and applying head and the tank are coupled to each other with a coupling member. A revolute joint is interposed between the coupling member and the droplet spraying and applying head.
US07709051B2
Method for dyeing a layer of a nanocrystalline material on a substrate using a liquid dye, comprising the successive steps of (i) providing said layer on a substrate, (ii) providing an apparatus for dyeing said layer, which apparatus comprises at least a supply container for the liquid dye, a closable substrate holder provided with at least one inlet and at least one outlet for a substrate provided with a layer of nanocrystalline material, and conduit and circulation means for causing the liquid dye to circulate through the supply container and the substrate holder, (iii) placing the substrate with said layer in the substrate holder and closing the substrate holder, and providing a liquid dye in the supply container, and (iv) causing the liquid dye from the supply container to circulate for a determined time through the substrate holder, and apparatus for performing this method.
US07709050B2
A method is disclosed for treating an area on a surface to increase affinity for a fluid including organic light emitting diode (OLED) material.
US07709049B2
The present invention relates to methods, devices, and coatings, wherein active agent release is determined by deposition rate of a coating or material. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method for coating a medical device, including identifying active agent elution rates for a coating composition applied to substrates at a plurality of coating deposition rates, selecting one of the coating deposition rates, and applying the coating composition to the medical device at the selected deposition rate. In an embodiment, the invention includes a combination including a medical device and a composition for coating the surface of a medical device with an active agent in a manner that permits the coated surface to release the active agent over time when implanted in vivo.
US07709048B2
A method and device, for use in an operating theater just prior to implantation, for selectively applying a medical coating to an implantable medical device. Disclosed is a device for use with a stent deployed on a catheter balloon configured to apply a medical coating of a desired thickness to the surface of the stent only. A drop-on-demand inkjet printing system in association with an optical scanning device is described. The device is further configured to apply a plurality of layered coats, each layered coat being of a different coating material, and if appropriate, different thickness and to coat a portion of the medical device as a function of its geometric configuration. The coating is applied by moving an applicator over the device in a path that is independent of the deposited coating pattern.
US07709044B2
The present invention is intended to provide acidic gel foods containing soybean protein to diversify means of taking soybean protein in daily eating habits. Using the acid-soluble soybean protein as specified in the description, an aqueous solution or an alcohol-containing aqueous solution of the protein is adjusted to pH 3 to 4.5. Then an acid having 2 or more acid groups per molecule or its salt or a salt of another acid is added thereto and the mixture is heated to form a gel. Thus, acidic gel foods including a jelly-like food favorable as a food can be obtained.
US07709029B2
A bone or dental implant material in the form of a paste includes a mixture of calcium phosphate and/or calcium-containing powders, liquid glycerol, organic acid and gelling agent. The paste is stable, resistant to washout and will harden upon exposure to water. Physical characteristics of the paste, including consistency, porosity, and hardening time, are controlled by the choice and ratio of constituents.
US07709024B2
The present invention provides sustained-release formulations useful and methods for using the same.
US07709020B2
This invention concerns a new family of phosphorus-containing compounds containing a moiety JQA- in which:A is absent or is —O—, —S— or —NR2—;Q is absent or (if A is —O—, —S— or —NR2—) Q may be —V—, —OV—, —SV—, or —NR2V—, where V is an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aryl, or heteroaryl moiety, such that J is linked to the cyclohexyl ring directly, through A or through VA, OVA, SVA or NR2VA; K is O or S; each occurrence of Y is independently —O—, —S—, —NR2—, or a bond linking a R5 moiety to P; each occurrence of R2 and R5 is independently an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aryl, or heteroaryl moiety, or H; and each occurrence of R6 is independently —PK(YR5)(YR5), —SO2(YR5) or —C(O)(YR5); so long as any R2, or R5 moiety linked directly to P is not H; wherein two R2, R5 and/or R6 moieties may be chemically linked to one another to form a ring; each occurrence of G is independently —O—, —S—, —NR2— or (M)x; each occurrence of M is independently a substituted or unsubstituted methylene moiety, and any M-M′ moiety may be saturated or unsaturated; each occurrence of x is independently an integer from 1-6; and the other variables are as defined herein.
US07709017B2
An implantable preparation comprises a material which can be obtained from globin that has been modified, especially chemically, to be, at least partially, soluble at physiological pH. The material is biocompatible, and biodegradable in the organism. The material may be soluble at physiological pH, or insoluble at that pH. The preparation may be in the form of a solution, suspension, paste, gel, film, sponge, powder or granules, or a solid implant. The preparation can be used for the healing, protection or filling of external skin wounds, the filling of wrinkles and skin flaws, the filling of tissue, as a device for fixing prostheses or biomaterials, or as a device for preventing adhesion.
US07709012B2
Ophthalmic compositions suitable for use as artificial tears or as vehicles for ophthalmic drugs are disclosed. The compositions contain a combination of two polymers that have a synergistic effect on viscosity.
US07709005B2
The present invention provides a method of attenuating the formation or reducing the severity of neurogenic swelling and/or neurogenic inflammation in the tissue of a patient via applying a composition comprising a hydrophilic foam substrate and a polymeric hydrophilic agent to a portion of the surface of the skin in an amount and at a location sufficient to attenuate formation of or reduce the severity of neurogenic swelling and/or neurogenic inflammation.
US07708999B2
The invention provides an agent for preventing or treating arthritis, a cartilage protecting agent, a joint destruction inhibitor and a synovial membrane growth inhibitor comprising an anti-FGF-8 neutralizing antibody as an active ingredient, as well as a diagnostic agent of arthritis comprising an anti-FGF-8 antibody as an active ingredient and a method for judging arthritis using the antibody.
US07708998B2
The present application is directed to compositions and methods for inhibiting angiogenesis and treating or preventing unwanted cell proliferation, including tumors, by inhibiting the hedgehog pathway, e.g., with an antagonist of the hedgehog pathway such as those disclosed herein.
US07708995B2
The present invention relates to a method and a pharmaceutical composition for treatment of nerve disorders comprising administration of a therapeutically effective dosage of at least two substances selected from the group consisting of TNF inhibitors, IL-1 inhibitors, IL-6 inhibitors, IL-8 inhibitors, FAS inhibitors, FAS ligand inhibitors, and IFN-gamma inhibitors. Preferably, at least one of the substances is a TNF inhibitor.
US07708992B2
The invention relates to methods for modulating the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of an IgG antibody composition.
US07708980B2
Propellants comprising a combination of: (a) a liquid component that is soluble in the organic chemical-based material; (b) a soluble gas component that has a solubility of at least about 3% by weight in the organic chemical-based material; and, (c) a substantially insoluble gas component that has a solubility of less than about 3% by weight of the organic chemical-based material are effective for a wide range of airless applications. Adjustment of the ratios of (a) to (b) to (c) can lead to propellants that provide excellent spray patterns for a wide range of organic chemical-based formulations.
US07708975B2
There is described a process for preparing metal oxide particles which are substantially free of coarse tail from an oxidizing agent and a vaporous metal reactant in a flow reactor; comprising, (a) directing a flow of the metal reactant into a contacting region of the flow reactor; comprising (a) passing a flow of oxidizing agent through a high temperature zone of the flow reactor to form a flow of hot oxidizing agent and directing the flow of the hot oxidizing agent onto the contacting region of the flow reactor at a flow condition sufficient to form a reaction stream comprising a flow of hot oxidizing agent, a flow of metal reactant and a diffusive flow of the hot oxidizing agent and the metal reactant, the temperature of the hot oxidizing agent being at least sufficient to initiate oxidation of the metal reactant in the diffusive flow; (c) passing the reaction stream into a reaction zone of the flow reactor, while simultaneously introducing a flow of an upper cooling fluid substantially coaxially with the reaction stream to form a fluid curtain which surrounds the reaction stream; (d) maintaining the fluid curtain while the metal oxide particles form within the diffusive flow of the reaction stream and until at least a major portion of the reaction stream is cooled to a temperature below the temperature at which metal oxide particles coalesce; and (e) separating the metal oxide particles from the reaction stream.
US07708974B2
Nanoparticles comprising tungsten, methods of manufacturing nanoparticles comprising tungsten, and applications of nanoparticles comprising tungsten, such as electronics, optical devices, photonics, reagents for fine chemical synthesis, pigments, and catalysts are provided.
US07708973B2
Process for the production of precipitated calcium carbonate particles, structured at the nanoscale, by carbonation of milk of lime in the presence of a crystallization controller selected from the following list: polyaspartic acid, dioctyl sodium sulphosuccinate, polyacrylic acid, the molecular weight of which is between 500 and 15 000, and citric acid. When the crystallization controller is citric acid, its concentration in the milk of lime is between 5 and 15%.
US07708971B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing carbon nitride C3N4 wherein alkali metal thiocyanate is simply pyrolysed to give carbon nitride C3N4 in an efficient, economical and ecologically friendly manner. The employed starting materials are cheap and formed side products are essentially non-toxic and can be easily removed and/or washed away.
US07708968B2
Crystalline scintillator materials comprising nano-scale particles of metal oxides, metal oxyhalides and metal oxysulfides are provided. The nano-scale particles are less than 100 nm in size. Methods are provided for preparing the particles. In one method, used to form oxyhalides and oxysulfides, metal salts are dissolved in water, and then precipitated out as fine particles using an aqueous base. After the particles are separated from the solution, they are annealed under a flow of a water saturated hydrogen anion gas, such as HCl or H2S, to form the crystalline scintillator particles. The other methods take advantage of the characteristics of microemulsion solutions to control droplet size, and, thus, the particle size of the final nano-particles. For example, in one method, a first micro-emulsion containing metal salts if formed. The first micro-emulsion is mixed with an aqueous base in a second micro-emulsion to form the final nano-scale particles.
US07708963B2
For treating waste gas flows, a regenerative thermal afterburning system is used, comprising at least four regenerators, filled with ceramic heat accumulator bodies, and connected via a common combustion chamber. The waste gas is alternately admitted in cycles to one regenerator, whose heat accumulation bodies have been preheated, and then burned in the combustion chamber to yield clean gas, the said gas being extracted by a further regenerator, with simultaneous heating of the latter's heat accumulator bodies, while a third regenerator is flushed with flush gas. During the cyclical operation of the three regenerators, the remaining fourth regenerator extracts combustion chamber air from the combustion chamber, for the removal of deposits on the heat accumulator bodies in this regenerator by means of pyrolysis. In turn, a fan then feeds this extracted air to the crude gas.
US07708961B2
A method of isolating 186Re according to example embodiments may include vaporizing a source compound containing 185Re and 186Re. The vaporized source compound may be ionized to form negatively-charged molecules containing 185Re and 186Re. The negatively-charged molecules may be separated to isolate the negatively-charged molecules containing 186Re. The isolated negatively-charged molecules containing 186Re may be collected with a positively-charged collector. Accordingly, the isolated 186Re may be used to produce therapeutic and/or diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals having higher specific activity.
US07708954B2
A nitrogen oxides purification device has an exhaust gas heating section and a nitrogen oxides purification section. The exhaust gas heating section has a fuel injection device and a catalytic metal. The nitrogen oxides purification device is provided in a heat exchanger having a downstream exhaust gas flow passage located downstream of the nitrogen oxides purification section and an upstream exhaust gas flow passage located upstream of the exhaust gas heating section. Exhaust gas heated at the exhaust gas heating section flows through the downstream exhaust gas flow passage. The exhaust gas to be heated at the exhaust gas heating section flows through the upstream exhaust gas flow passage. Heat is transferred between the downstream and upstream exhaust gas flow passages. The nitrogen oxides purification device operates at low fuel consumption.
US07708947B2
The present invention relates to methods of making compositions for sensor films used for detecting chemical analytes within sensors, such as polymer-absorption chemiresistors (i.e., conductometric sensors). The sensor films have reduced cross-sensitivity to temperature, while maintaining sensitivity to the chemical analytes. The sensor matrix includes components that are associated with a first temperature coefficient of resistance, such as a polymer resin and/or a first conductive particle. The sensor matrix further comprises a second species, preferably a conductive particle, which has a second temperature coefficient of resistance that is opposite to the first temperature coefficient of resistance. The second species has an opposite influence on a resistance response of the sensor from the first species. In this manner, the sensor matrix exhibits a minimized response in resistance to any changes in temperature.
US07708940B2
The present invention relates to a process for the sterilization and/or germ reduction of impression material by means of radiation.
US07708932B2
A chilled air pressure box is provided for thermoforming a plastic sheet. The chilled air pressure box comprises a box, a box perimeter, an inlet valve, a compressed air source and a chilled air source. The box has an interior space within the box and defines an inlet opening. The box perimeter is for sealingly interfacing with a vacuum mold. The inlet valve is substantially disposed within the interior space, adjacent and aligned with the inlet opening such that when the inlet valve is closed the inlet opening is substantially sealed and when the inlet valve is opened the inlet opening is not sealed. The compressed air source is capable of pressurizing the interior space with compressed air and interfaces with the box. The chilled air source communicates with the inlet opening.
US07708931B2
An balloon catheter is provided with an improved neck portion. The neck portion of the balloon is used to attach the end of the balloon to a catheter. Before attaching the balloon to the catheter, the neck portion is lengthened and thinned out to make the neck portion more flexible. Heat shrink tubing may be used to apply pressure to the neck portion to force the material of the neck portion to flow along a mandrel inserted into the neck portion.
US07708923B1
A coupling and a process of molding the coupling is disclosed for interconnecting a primary and a secondary tube. The process comprises the steps of inserting a primary core pin into the primary tube. A secondary core pin is inserted into the second tube to abut with the primary core pin. The assembled tubes and core pins are placed within a mold cavity and a thermoplastic material is injected for forming the coupling. The coupling and the interconnected tubes are removed from the mold cavity. The secondary core pin is disengaged from the secondary core pin to be removed by passing the secondary core pin through the secondary tube. The primary core pin is removed by passing the secondary core pin through the primary tube. The coupling forms a smooth interconnection of the inner cross-sections of the first and second tubes.
US07708920B2
A method to form moldable capsules of a conductively doped resin-based material is realized. The method comprises compressing a bundle of micron conductive fiber strands by passing the bundle through a compressing ring. A resin-based material is extruded/pultruded onto the compressed bundle. The resin-based material and the bundle are sectioned into moldable capsules. The micron conductive fiber comprises between about 20% and about 50% of the total weight of each moldable capsule.
US07708919B2
A method of removing solidified sprue plastic from an injection molding machine uses a picker assembly that includes an end-effector with a gripper. The injection molding machine has a stationary platen with a first mold, and has a moveable platen with a second mold. The method includes moving the gripper in a direction that is generally perpendicular to a direction that the second mold moves while the first mold and the second mold are opening. The method also includes grabbing the solidified sprue plastic before the first mold and the second mold reach a fully open position.
US07708918B2
The present invention relates to a process and device RIM involving a mixing chamber (1) with opposing injectors (2, 3). The efficiency is maximized through the operation in flow regimes with very strong mixing dynamics, which is assured by means of the introduction of schemes to: detect the flow regime within the mixing chamber, through the dynamic pressure measurement upstream of the injectors (2, 3), using means (5); and/or impose a chaotic flow regime, through the pulsation of the opposed jets, using means (6). Alterations in design, comparatively to the traditional geometries, are also proposed, concerning: the mixing chamber (1), being foreseen a prismatic rectangular chamber; the injectors (2, 3), being foreseen elongated injectors; and even the scheme of injection of the materials, using a third injector (4).
US07708917B2
A method and apparatus for casting concrete elements with varying, determined length, equipped with one or with a plurality of longitudinal hollow cores, by means of a slipforming apparatus. The apparatus is movable with respect to the bed (2), said apparatus comprising forming members (10) for forming hollow cores. The mass is fed in the first step to the portion of the slab below the hollow cores, and in the second step the hollow-core forming members being brought onto the said portion of the slab and mass is being fed between the forming members and onto them. The forming member (10) for forming a hollow core comprises an attachable extension part (22). The height of a hollow core is changed by changing the extension part of the hollow core forming member.
US07708910B2
The present invention relates to ink jet printing ink consisting of an independently dispersed metal ultrafine particles-containing liquid dispersion in which the metal ultrafine particles having a particle size of not more than 100 nm are independently and uniformly dispersed and which is excellent in characteristic properties required for ink. The ink is used in the printing or the formation of conductive circuits using an ink jet printer. The ink can be prepared by steps comprising the first step in which metal vapor is brought into contact with vapor of the first solvent according to the evaporation-in-gas technique to thus form a metal ultrafine particles-containing liquid dispersion; the second step in which a low molecular weight polar solvent as the second solvent is added to the liquid dispersion to thus precipitate the metal ultrafine particles and to extract and remove the first solvent; and the third step in which the third solvent is added to the resulting precipitates to carry out solvent-substitution and to thus give a liquid dispersion containing metal ultrafine particles independently and uniformly dispersed therein, a dispersant being added in the first step and/or the third step.
US07708907B1
A liquid crystal compound of Formula (I) is provided. In Formula (I), Y1, Y2 and Y3 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, cyano or thiocyano, and R is C1-12 alkyl or C1-12 alkoxy, preferably C3-6 alkyl. The liquid crystal compound is colorless. The invention also provides a liquid crystal composition including the liquid crystal compound.
US07708904B2
The disclosure is directed to a processing fluid including an aliphatic hydrocarbon component having an average chain length of 8 to 16 carbons and about 0.0001 wt % to about 50.0 wt % of a Lewis active component.
US07708897B2
Device, system and method for injecting organic matter into a reaction enclosure (2) of a reactor for treatment using a supercritical water oxidation method. The device comprises a body having an inner volume defining a pressurizing capacity (24) in which a mobile assembly (29) is arranged, e.g. a bellows for dividing the inner volume into two variable volume compartments including a compressing capacity compartment (32) and a hydraulic pressurizing capacity compartment (34). The hydraulic pressurizing capacity compartment is preferably connected to the outlet (15) of an aqueous phase liquid/gas separator (14) which separates the liquid and gaseous phases of the effluent leaving the reaction enclosure (2).
US07708891B2
A chromatography column and method of maintenance is described which does not require the use of a hoist or crane for disassembly. The method provides improved operator safety by reducing the need for the operator to work below a suspended or supported load within the column. Furthermore, the removal or replacement of column components is facilitated by providing access to the interior of the column and by the provision of a handling device.
US07708887B2
Described herein are methods and systems for combination membrane/biolytic filtration. In one embodiment a filtration system is operated under suction. The arrangement includes a feed tan (5) having a smaller filtrate vessel (6) positioned therein. The region within, the feed tank (5) not occupied by the filtrate vessel (6) is partially filled with layers of decomposing and decomposed solid organic waste material to form an aerobic filter bed (7) of the type used in biolytic filtration as described above. A further module vessel (8) is mounted within the filtrate vessel (6) to form a membrane chamber (9) containing a membrane filtration module (10).
US07708881B2
A magnetic bead-based sample separating device is provided. The device includes a first reactor, a second reactor, a third reactor, a first micro-channel and a second micro-channel. The first reactor receives a mixing solution including several magnetic beads and a sample extraction. The sample extraction is bound with the magnetic beads. The second reactor receives a washing buffer for washing the magnetic beads with sample extraction. The third reactor receives an elution buffer for separating the washing buffer from the magnetic beads. The first micro-channel is for connecting the first reactor and the second reactor and moving the magnetic beads to the second reactor from the first reactor. The second micro-channel is for connecting the second reactor and the third reactor and moving the magnetic beads to the third reactor from the second reactor.
US07708876B2
This invention relates to oil refining, more particularly to a composition of a heavy fuel oil for use in marine power units and boiler plants. The fuel comprises, in percent by weight: an extract from the selective extraction of gas oil—(3-5), heavy catalytic cracking gas oil—(3-10), vacuum gas oil—(5-10), tar or topped residuum—(3-10), straight-run black oil—(10-20), viscosity breaking residue of heavy oil fractions—the rest. The selected combination of the components and their ratio may for example, result in a stable heavy fuel oil having improved viscosity properties. The inclusion of the above components into the fuel composition may also make it possible to expand the production of heavy fuel oils produced.
US07708872B2
The present invention describes an actuator in a microfluidic system for inducing an electroosmotic liquid movement in a microchannel.
US07708871B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus having a nanodevice (1) for controlling the flow of charged particles in an electrolyte. Such apparatus comprises an electrolytic bath container (2) divided by a polymeric membrane foil (3) into a first (4) and a second compartment (5), wherein each compartment (4, 5) comprises an electrode (6, 7) connected to a voltage supply (8). Further the apparatus comprises at least one asymmetric pore (9) forming a via hole through said foil (3), wherein said pore (9) provides a narrow opening (10) of a diameter in the range of several nanometers down to about one nanometer on a front side (11) of said foil (3) and a wide opening (12) in the range of several ten nanometers up to several hundred nanometers on a back side (13) of said foil (3). Further, the apparatus comprises an electrically conductive layer (14) surrounding said narrow opening (10) on said front side (11) and a gate voltage supply (15) connected to said electrically conductive layer (14) on said front side (11) of said foil (3) controlling the flow of charged particles within said nanodevice (1) from said first compartment (4) to said second compartment (5) vice versa. The invention further relates to a method for producing such a nanodevice (1).
US07708868B2
A variable thickness sputtering target which increases the target material thickness at strategic locations to greatly improve the yield of usable wafers per target, and a method of manufacturing such target comprising forming a generally flat and circularly shaped target blank so that a thickness dimension between the top and bottom surfaces decreases as a function of radius of the target blank. The variable thickness target blank is then formed into a variable thickness dome shaped target member having a bottom portion and a sidewall portion, wherein a wall thickness of said variable thickness dome-shaped target member is thickest proximate a center portion of said bottom portion. In one embodiment of the invention, the variable thickness target blank is formed by clock rolling (or compression rolling) the target blank with crowned rolls to obtain a variable thickness target blank.
US07708866B2
A sputtering apparatus comprises a substrate unit that includes a substrate on which a target material is deposited in a chamber and a target unit on which a plurality of target sections formed of the target material are arranged. The sputtering apparatus further comprises a cathode plate that supplies electric power to surfaces of the plurality of target sections and a plurality of gas supply ports provided on regions between the plurality of target sections.
US07708863B2
A process and apparatus for making die-dried friction wafers collects friction particulates in a mold defining a wafer. The mold includes at least one perforate wall portion against which an aqueous slurry including the particulates is passed to form at least one layer on the wall as the particulates collect in the mold. The collection is dried followed by curing, and may be cured in the mold by heating.
US07708858B2
A method of making High Temperature Resistant Models and Tools is provided. An assembly of substrates can be formed with intermediate adhesive layer of curable paste and same curable paste can be used as topcoat or sealer. The curable paste can be machine dispensed from a mixer mixing 2 components composition. The composition can contain a resin, a filler, a chemical thixotropy agent, a latent hardener and another hardener. The method provides easy and cost-effective manufacture of models or tools.
US07708853B2
The invention is a bonding process using a composition comprising a) one or more organotitanates or zirconates having four ligands wherein the ligands are hydrocarbyl, optionally containing one or more functional groups having one or more heteroatoms selected from the group comprising oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur wherein two or more of the ligands may form a cyclic structure with the proviso that one of the ligands has an acidic moiety; one or more strong organic acids or a mixture thereof; b) one or more alkoxysilanes; c) optionally one or more high molecular weight resins; and d) a solvent which dissolves the components of the composition. This composition is referred to as a clear primer hereinafter. Preferably, the composition comprises both an organotitanate or zirconate and a strong acid.
US07708852B2
A method for producing a ballistic protective armour includes superimposing a certain number of textile layers (116) in such a way that a layer structure (114) is formed, in sewing the textile layers (116) of the layer structure to each other and in pressing the layer structure (114). Prior to a sewing process, the textile layers (116) of the layer structure (114) are pre-pressed by a pre-pressing process (30) in such a way that a preform (130), whose three-dimensional shape corresponds to a final product shape, is formed and subsequently, after the sewing process (50), the preform is exposed to a heat-pressing process (100) at a temperature greater than the temperature of the pre-pressing process (30).
US07708843B2
The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a part having very high mechanical properties from a hot-rolled or cold-rolled steel strip, comprising precoating said strip with aluminum or an aluminum alloy, cold deformation of the coated strip, possible cutting of the excess sheet with a view to the final geometry of the part, heating of the part so as to form an intermetallic compound from the steel/precoat interface and to austenitize the steel, transfer of the part to a tool and cooling of the part in the tool at a rate such that the steel has, after being cooled, a martensitic or bainitic structure or a martensite-bainite structure. The precoating is carried out by electroplating, by chemical or physical vapor deposition or by co-rolling.
US07708832B2
Provided is a method for preparing a substrate for growing gallium nitride and a gallium nitride substrate. The method includes performing thermal cleaning on a surface of a silicon substrate, forming a silicon nitride (Si3N4) micro-mask on the surface of the silicon substrate in an in situ manner, and growing a gallium nitride layer through epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) using an opening in the micro-mask. According to the method, by improving the typical ELO, it is possible to simplify the method for preparing the substrate for growing gallium nitride and the gallium nitride substrate and reduce process cost.
US07708829B2
A method and apparatus for growing a crystalline or poly-crystalline body from a melt is described, wherein the melt is retained by capillary attachment to edge features of a mesa crucible. The boundary profile of the resulting melt surface results in an effect which induces a ribbon grown from the surface of the melt to grow as a flat body. Further, the size of the melt pool is substantially reduced by bringing these edges close to the ribbon, thereby reducing the materials cost and electric power cost associated with the process.
US07708819B2
The invention relates to a composition comprising from 92 to 97% by weight pigment and from 3 to 8% by weight binder, in each case based on the composition, wherein the binder is a mixture comprising: from 5 to 60% by weight, based on the binder, of modified cellulose wherein, on average, per glucose unit, from 0.5 to 1.4 hydroxyl hydrogen atoms are replaced by R1, from 0.25 to 0.6 hydroxyl hydrogen atoms are replaced by R2, or from 0.5 to 1.4 hydroxyl hydrogen atoms are replaced by R1, and from 0 to 0.6 hydroxyl hydrogen atoms are replaced by R2; and from 40 to 95% by weight, based on the binder, of a compound of formula (I) wherein Q is a hydrocarbon radical containing from 8 to 24 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or mono- to tri-substituted by hydroxy or OR1, each R1, independently of any other R1, is C1-C4alkyl or C1-C4alkylcarbonyl, each R2, independently of any other R2, is an organic group different from R1 and containing from 2 to 10 carbon, from 0 to 4 oxygen and from 0 to 2 nitrogen atoms, and R3 and R4 are each independently of the other hydrogen, R1, R2, C5-C8alkyl, C5-C8alkylcarbonyl, C5-C8alkenyl, C5-C8alkenylcarbonyl, C5-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkylcarbonyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, C5-C8cycloalkenylcarbonyl, phenyl, benzoyl, tolyl, methylbenzoyl, benzyl, phenylacetyl, phenethyl or styryl. The compositions according to the invention are dust-free and produce outstanding colorations. The use thereof as colorants for, especially, polyolefins and the preparation thereof, especially by aqueous dispersal and spray-drying, are also claimed.
US07708812B2
A hydrogen gas separator fixing structure includes a gas separator having a support and a membrane provided on at least one surface of the support, which membrane contains a first metal capable of separating hydrogen gas from a hydrogen-containing gas, a metal flange connected to at least one open end of the gas separator, a bonding layer containing a second metal, provided at the portion at which the gas separator and the metal flange are connected to each other and on the surface of the gas separation membrane side of the portion, a packing provided on the bonding layer, and a ring-shaped metal member capable of fixing the packing by pressing, provided so that at least part thereof is in contact with the bonding layer, wherein the bonding layer is provided by a heat treatment conducted at a temperature lower than the melting point of the second metal.
US07708810B2
A gas permeable, carbon based, nanocomposite membrane comprises a nanoporous carbon matrix comprising a pyrolyzed polymer, and a plurality of nanoparticles of carbon or an inorganic compound disposed in the matrix. The matrix is prepared by pyrolyzing a polymer, and nanoparticles of the particulate material are disposed in the polymer prior to pyrolysis. The particles may be disposed in a precursor of the polymer, which precursor is subsequently polymerized, or in the polymer itself.
US07708809B2
A hydrogen permeable membrane which has an excellent high-temperature amorphous stability and a long lifetime under high-temperature heating operation and which can be miniaturized for use in a high-performance hydrogen purifier. The hydrogen permeable membrane is made of a non-crystalline nickel-zirconium alloy or zirconium-nickel alloy composed of 44 to 75 atom % of nickel or zirconium; and 0.2 to 16 atom % of aluminum, 0.2 to 12 atom % of vanadium and/or niobium, or 0.2 to 12 atom % of niobium and 0.1 to 10 atom % of phosphorus (provided that the combined amount of niobium and phosphorus is not more than 18 atom %); with the balance being zirconium or nickel and unavoidable impurities.
US07708806B2
A method and apparatus for extracting CO2 from air comprising an anion exchange material formed in a matrix exposed to a flow of the air, and for delivering that extracted CO2 to controlled environments. The present invention contemplates the extraction of CO2 from air using conventional extraction methods or by using one of the extraction methods disclosed; e.g., humidity swing or electro dialysis. The present invention also provides delivery of the CO2 to greenhouses where increased levels of CO2 will improve conditions for growth. Alternatively, the CO2 is fed to an algae culture.
US07708805B2
Porous carbon fibers, whose active centers are formed by pores that are filled at least in part by carbon and/or metal and/or metal carbide, obtainable by carbonization of organic or inorganic polymers, the use thereof for the adsorption or separation of gaseous substances, in particular of CO2, and also a method for the production thereof. First, a spinning mixture containing polyacrylonitrile-based polymer A and an organic or metallo-organic polymer B is produced. Next, the spinning mixture is spun to form mixed fibers of polymer A and polymer B. The mixed fiber is stabilized by oxidation. This is followed by carbonization or graphitization of the mixed fiber under non-oxidizing conditions in such a way that the polymer B forms a carbon and/or metal and/or metal carbide residue of at least 22 wt %, the residue forming active centers.
US07708804B2
A process for separating carbon dioxide from a fluid containing carbon dioxide, NO2, and at least one of oxygen, argon, and nitrogen comprises the steps of separating at least part of the fluid into a carbon dioxide enriched stream, a carbon dioxide depleted stream comprising CO2 and at least one of oxygen, argon, and nitrogen and a NO2 enriched stream and recycling said NO2 enriched stream upstream of the separation step.
US07708800B2
There is disclosed a method for producing a supported metal nanoparticle, which has the steps of adsorbing a metal ion-containing compound to a support of an organic material and reducing the adsorbed metal ion to form a metal nanoparticle on the support. In the producing method, by using a various organic material as a matrix, the metal nanoparticle can be easily formed in situ with excellent accuracy from the metal ion-containing compound.
US07708798B2
A filter is provided defining an enclosure having a volume that is resiliently variable responsive to an internal pressure within the enclosure. A gas generating system, an airbag system, and a vehicle occupant protection system incorporating the filter are also disclosed.
US07708792B2
An air inlet assembly for an automotive heating and ventilating air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a casing extending along an axis (A). The casing defines a plurality of inlets for receiving air and an outlet for delivering air from the inlets. A filter filters air between the inlets and the outlet. An air moving device disposed about the outlet for expelling air from the casing. A valve mechanism supports the filter. Furthermore, the valve mechanism moves along the axis (A) between an outside-air position and a cabin-air position for controlling air from the inlets to the outlet.
US07708785B2
A process for coloring and permanently shaping keratin fibers especially human hair comprising applying to the human hair: (a) an aqueous coloring composition based on at least one hair direct dye and not comprising any oxidative dye precursors and/or couplers, and rinsed off from hair with water after processing 1 to 45 min at a temperature of 20 to 45° C. and towel dried, (b) placing the towel dried hair on curlers, (c) applying an aqueous composition comprising at least one reducing agent and rinsed off from hair with water after a processing time of 2-30 min at ambient temperature and towel dried, (d) applying a composition comprising at least one oxidizing agent and processed for 2 to 15 min and curlers are taken off from hair and optionally rinsed off from hair with water and optionally towel dried, and (e) applying an aqueous coloring composition based on at least one hair direct dye is optionally mixed with a composition comprising at least one oxidizing agent and rinsed off from hair with water after processing 5 to 45 min at a temperature of 20 to 45° C., towel dried and dried with a dryer or left to dry in air.
US07708775B2
A two-stage or component-based valve prosthesis that can be quickly and easily implanted during a surgical procedure is provided. The prosthetic valve comprises a support structure that is deployed at a treatment site. The prosthetic valve further comprises a valve member configured to be quickly connected to the support structure. The support structure may take the form of a stent that is expanded at the site of a native valve. If desired, the native leaflets may remain and the stent may be used to hold the native valve open. In this case, the stent may be balloon expandable and configured to resist the powerful recoil force of the native leaflets. The support structure is provided with a coupling means for attachment to the valve member, thereby fixing the position of the valve member in the body. The valve member may be a non-expandable type, or may be expandable from a compressed state to an expanded state. The system is particularly suited for rapid deployment of heart valves in a conventional open-heart surgical environment.
US07708773B2
A modular stent graft system and associated surgical methods are provided that incorporates an external stent-based locking mechanism to prevent disarticulation of the legs from the bifurcated graft as well as other features that overcome many of the difficulties of the prior art associated with delivering and securing the bifurcated grafts to the intended deployment site within the human aorta.
US07708765B2
A spine stabilization device is provided including an elongate member coupled to a spinous process. One aspect includes a dynamic stabilizer in a stabilization device.
US07708764B2
An artificial facet joint includes a spinal implant rod and a connector. The connector includes a screw and a rod connecting member having structure for engagement of the rod. The rod connecting member is pivotally engaged to the screw.
US07708762B2
A system for stabilization of the spinal column, including an elongate support member extending along an axis and a plurality of anchor members configured for anchoring to respective vertebrae. A first of the anchor members is engaged to the support member in a manner that substantially prevents axial movement of the support member relative to the first anchor member, and a second of the anchor members is engaged to the support member in a manner that allows substantially unconstrained axial movement of the support member relative to the second anchor member. In a further embodiment, a third of the anchor members is engaged to the support member in a manner that also allows substantially unconstrained axial movement of the support member relative to the third anchor member, with the second and third anchor members positioned on opposite sides of the first anchor member.
US07708758B2
The surgical instrument includes a distal tool, an elongated shaft that supports the distal tool, and a proximal handle or control member, where the tool and the handle are coupled to the respective distal and proximal ends of the elongated shaft via distal and proximal bendable motion members. Actuation means extends between said distal and proximal members whereby any deflection of said control handle with respect to said elongated instrument shaft causes a corresponding bending of said distal motion member for control of said working member. The proximal bendable member comprises a ball and socket assembly supported between the handle and instrument shaft and constructed and arranged for three dimensional motion.
US07708754B2
A medical device for placing an embolic device at a predetermined site within a vessel of the body including a delivery catheter and a flexible pusher member slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter. An embolic device is retained within the delivery catheter by a mechanical interlocking mechanism which includes an engagement member attached to the distal end of the pusher member and extends through a retaining ring at the proximal end of the embolic device. A detachment member extends through an aperture at the distal end of the engagement member thereby locking the embolic device onto the pusher member. A kicker member extends from the distal end of the pusher member and is comprised of a shape memory material adapted to lift the retaining ring off of the engagement member at human body temperature when the detachment member is withdrawn from the aperture of the engagement member.
US07708743B2
An apparatus is provided to hold and orient an implant during a medical procedure and includes an elongated member having an upper member and a lower member with a formed end. A biasing member is operatively positioned between the upper member and lower member and supplies a biasing force to the lower member. A ball joint is provided that includes a ball, and the ball joint accepts the formed end of the lower member. A biasing force is provided by the biasing member to cause the formed end of the lower member to contact the ball. A translation mechanism is used to move the upper member in a first linear direction toward the lower member to cause the formed end of the lower member to lock the ball of the ball joint and, thus, lock the ball joint and orient the ball of the ball joint in a desired position.
US07708741B1
A method is provided for performing knee replacement surgery on a leg of a patient. The method includes making a cut on a posterior portion of a patella, making a cut on a proximal portion of a tibia, and making a cut on the distal portion of the femur. The cut on the patella is performed before making the cuts on the tibia and femur.
US07708738B2
The invention provides an osteosynthesis and compression screw that is self-boring and self-tapping for the purpose of coaptation of small bone fragments. The screw comprises: a proximal portion formed by a screw head provided with an outside thread; an intermediate portion having no thread; and a distal portion provided with an outside thread. Wherein: each of the screw head and the distal portion includes at least one groove, firstly extending over the entire axial length of its thread, and secondly being formed through each thread in such a manner to form tapping means; and the terminal zone of the distal portion is provided with preparation means for preparing a housing in the bone fragments for receiving the intermediate and distal portions of the screw.
US07708736B2
An articulation element consisting of a plurality of adjustable jaw pairs for the purpose of fixating the relative position of coupled bars and/or bone pins of an external bone fixator. Each of the adjustable jaws consists of a pair of hemispherical jaw elements contained within a spherical housing. A passage is eccentrically arranged through the jaw elements to accept the pin or bar. The jaw elements have interposed between them a spring element that serves to bias the jaw elements in the closed position. Pins serve to provisionally lock the jaw elements in the closed position. Spring loaded buttons act to release the pins thereby allowing the jaw elements to open accepting the pin or bar. The jaws are attached in a back to back fashion through the use of a threaded collar which acts as a turnbuckle pulling the jaws together when tightened.
US07708728B2
An absorbent article comprising a topsheet with a large opening for receiving feces. The topsheet has an elastic laminate portion with y-direction elongation. The laminate portion has a first zone, a second zone and, optionally, a third zone. The zones have different degrees of maximum elongation and/or different wrinkle heights and/or densities. The zones are configured such that one or more zones are created that cause less or no pressure marks. Overall, the topsheet maintains an excellent force profile, resulting in well performing, comfortable to wear absorbent articles that provide isolation of feces away from the skin.
US07708725B2
A sanitary napkin that is provided with large rear flaps to effectively prevent liquid from leaking obliquely rearward. The rear flaps are disposed rearward of fold-back flaps to be wrapped around a crotch part of an undergarment. The rear flap is of a shape spreading rearwardly from a starting point. With a pressure from the thighs acting forward of the starting point, leakage preventing walls forward of the starting point can be maintained in a rising state during wear. On the other hand, the leakage preventing walls rearward of the starting point may possibly fall outward. However, even if the leakage preventing walls fall outward rearward of the starting point, they will never project out of the rear flaps. Accordingly, they hardly leave a stain on an undergarment.
US07708723B2
Disclosed are devices and methods for the transfer of fluids and potentially toxic chemicals into the lens capsule by creating a closed system preventing the fluids from entering the anterior chamber of the eye and thus causing damage to other ocular structures.The invention comprises one or more fluid conduits which communicate with a plug which maybe inserted through the corneal incision and placed onto the anterior surface of the capsule around the capsulorhexis. The plug is adapted to seal against the anterior surface of the lens capsule.In preferred embodiments, the flow of fluids into and out of the plug (and therefore the capsule) are controlled from a separate fluid flow controller.
US07708715B2
The invention relates to a device and method for approximating two vessels. The device includes a first catheter and a second catheter. The second catheter is slidably disposed in the first catheter. A first expansible member is disposed on the first catheter, and a second expansible member is disposed on the second catheter. The medical device also includes a locking mechanism for interlocking the first catheter and second catheter to prevent relative movement between the first and second catheters.
US07708713B2
An insufflating surgical instrument adapted for movement across an abdominal wall to insufflate an abdominal region of a patient is disclosed comprising a shaft having an insufflation channel extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end, the insufflation channel being adapted for connection to a source of fluid under pressure at the proximal end, a tip at the distal end of the shaft, and at least one vent hole formed at the tip or the shaft being in connection with the insufflation channel and being adapted to expel the fluid under pressure to insufflate the abdominal region. At least one of the tip and the shaft is formed of a translucent or transparent material such as polycarbonate to facilitate visualization of the abdominal wall and the abdominal region.
US07708712B2
This is directed to methods and devices suited for maintaining an opening in a wall of a body organ for an extended period. More particularly devices and methods are directed maintaining patency of channels that alter gaseous flow within a lung to improve the expiration cycle of, for instance, an individual having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
US07708711B2
Devices and methods are provided for the treatment of ocular disorders. An ocular implant has a body comprising material that includes a therapeutic drug. The body has an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion is configured to reside in an anterior chamber of an eye when the outlet portion is disposed in a physiological outflow pathway of the eye. The outlet portion has an outflow opening such that the body drains fluid from the anterior chamber to the physiological outflow pathway. One method of treating an ocular disorder involves introducing an implant comprising a therapeutic drug into the eye such that the implant drains aqueous humor into a physiological outflow pathway and the therapeutic drug reaches eye tissue.
US07708708B2
A method of donning a potentiating support for a body's hinge joint includes: positioning a garment proximate an area of a body; positioning an expandable and recoverable framework in abutment with the area of the body such that the framework spans a hinge joint of the body, the framework defining a plurality of permanent openings extending there through regardless of whether the support is donned; applying tension at points of the framework such that the framework is expanded and the framework is tensioned in its abutment with the area of the body, said step of applying tension being performed by pulling on one or more fastening components that are attached at one or more points to said framework; and affixing each of the fastening components to the garment while applying tension to the framework to secure the expanded framework in its forced abutment with the area of the body.
US07708704B2
A component for use as or for incorporation within a medical instrument navigable through body vessels of a human subject is provided. The component includes a tubular portion with an interrupted spiral defined by alternating cut and uncut sections. The sum of the arcuate extents of each bridge section and a cut section adjacent to the bridge section in end-to-end fashion is neither a whole number factor of 360 degrees nor a multiple of 90 degrees; this provides uniform rigidity, flexibility, and stretch resistance in all bending planes. The device further includes multiple sections, the pitch of the spiral varying from section to section in order to vary the sections' flexibilities.
US07708703B2
A lancet integrated test element (LIT) includes an incision forming member that has a cutting end configured to form an incision in tissue. A test element is attached to the incision forming member to test fluid from the incision. The test element has a sampling end with a sample opening through which the fluid is collected. The test element is bendable from a first state where the cutting end of the incision forming member is retracted from the sampling end of the test element to a second state where at least a portion of the cutting extends past the sampling end of the test element to form the incision in the tissue.
US07708700B2
A method of training a subject to improve anticipatory timing includes presenting the subject with multiple sequences of stimuli, receiving sensor signals associated with responses by the subject to the stimuli, and recording response times in accordance with the sensor signals, wherein the recorded response times are associated with the responses by the subject to the multiple sequences of stimuli, and wherein the response times have an associated distribution. The method further includes analyzing the distribution of response times for the subject to determine variability in anticipatory timing of the subject with respect to the stimuli, and generating a subject feedback signal corresponding to a result of the analyzing so as to train the subject to improve anticipatory timing of the subject. Also disclosed is a system for performing the aforementioned training method.
US07708698B2
A circuit for measuring respiratory waveform with impedance method and a method and device for resisting electrical fast transient interference are provided, and wherein an output from the peak detector circuit and a reference signal are input to two input terminals of the comparator circuit, an output terminal of the comparator circuit is connected to a control terminal of the electronic switch, and one terminal of the electronic switch is connected to an output terminal of the signal amplifier circuit and the other to an input terminal of the demodulator/amplifier circuit. If a level of the output signal of the peak detector circuit is greater than the level of the reference signal, the electronic switch is switched off in response to an inversion of the output of the comparator circuit so that the interference is isolated from the next stage circuit. The present invention is prone to be implemented with significant effect.
US07708695B2
A method and apparatus for detecting blood flow in or at a subject's fingertip (20) or other body part, in which Doppler-shifted measuring beam radiation (18) is reflected by the red blood cells and re-enters the laser cavity of the laser diode (10), so as to effect changes in operation thereof, such changes being representative of the blood flow. The apparatus may be incorporated in a fingerprint sensor as a “liveness” detector.
US07708690B2
A patient care unit (1) with a bed for accommodating a patient makes possible undisturbed accessibility to the patient by avoiding cable connections between sensors at the patient and the measuring instruments or treating devices (2) belonging to them. The patient care unit (1) has a receiving unit for receiving sensor signals of the patient, transmission features for passing on the sensor signals to a transmitting unit in the patient care unit (1) or to a cable connection (4) for connecting the patient care unit (1) to the power supply, so that the sensor signals enter measuring instruments or treating devices (2) that belong to them for the evaluation of the sensor signals in a wireless manner or via the power supply.
US07708688B2
An endoscopic shaft having multiple endoscopic elements set in a polymer common housing. The endoscopic elements may be drawn with the common housing to manufacture a component, called an EndoFiber, which forms the length of the endoscopic shaft. A second structure, called an Endocap, may be provided that includes optical elements and which is attached to the end of the EndoFiber to form the shaft.
US07708686B2
A color filter array pattern for use in a solid-state imager comprising red sensitive elements located at every other array position, with alternating blue sensitive and green sensitive elements located at the remaining array positions, is disclosed. Since red color is sampled most frequently, the color filter may be part of an in vivo camera system for imaging internal human body organs and tissues.
US07708673B2
Methods and apparatuses for aligning a person's center of gravity over the base of support using a weighted garment or orthotic are herein provided. These methods and apparatuses are particularly suited to individuals suffering from various balance or neurological disorders. The methods described herein involve the use of body positioning and perturbation techniques. These methods may be manual, computer assisted, or some combination thereof. In some variations, video recording equipment or other electronic equipment is used. The apparatuses of the present invention comprise a variety of weighted garments or orthotics. These garments or orthotics may take on any number of configurations. In some variations, the weighted garment or orthotic is a vest, in other variations, the weighted garment or orthotic is a brassiere, corset, shoulder pad, undergarment, belt, seating device to be used in combination with a wheelchair, tee shirt, body suit, or combinations thereof.
US07708669B2
An exercise apparatus may include a frame. A crank system may be coupled to the frame. A brake/inertia device may be coupled to the crank system. A pivotal linkage pendulum system may be coupled to the crank system. The pivotal linkage pendulum system may include one or more link members. An upper pivot point of at least one of the link members may be coupled to the crank system. In some embodiments, the upper pivot point of the at least one of the link members may be coupled to the crank system through a movable member. The upper pivot point may move in a back and forth path of motion or in a closed path motion. A foot member may be coupled to one or more of the link members. The foot member may include a footpad.
US07708666B2
An internal transmission hub assembly includes a shift control sleeve, a sleeve guide and a shifting key guide. The shift control sleeve is disposed for limited circumferential movement about the axis of rotation of a stationary hub shaft. The shift control sleeve includes a base sleeve and at least one pawl control arm, the base sleeve having a first end and a second end. The sleeve guide supports the first end of the base sleeve of the shift control sleeve about the stationary hub shaft. The first end of the base sleeve is welded to the sleeve guide. The shifting key guide supports the second end of the base sleeve of the shift control sleeve about the stationary hub shaft. The second end of the base sleeve is welded to the shifting key guide.
US07708662B2
Vehicle apparatus for a vehicle including a chain guide device which can be easily mounted to the vehicle with a reduced number of parts. The chain, guide device for guiding a chain in the vehicle includes a main frame and a rear swing arm extending rearward from the main frame. The chain guide device also includes a stay extending downward from the rear swing arm, a sectionally U-shaped plate member fastened to the stay using fastening members, and a chain guide member mounted in the plate member. The chain guide member has a chain guide hole through which the chain passes through to be guided. The chain guide member is fixed by fitting the lower surface and the right and left side surfaces of the chain guide member to the plate member and by fitting the upper surface of the chain guide member to the stay.
US07708658B2
A golf putting device that comprises: (a) a rotating head that includes a retractable line, a clip that attaches the retractable line to a golf club, and a first connecting member; and (b) a base that can be inserted in a golf hole and includes a second connecting member located on top of the base. The rotating head is attached to the base by engaging the first connecting member onto the second connecting member, and the rotating head rotates on the second connecting member. In embodiments for off-hole use, the golf putting device may further include a plurality of removable legs attached to the base. The rotating head may also include a housing which encloses the retractable line. This housing includes an aperture through which the retractable line passes through. The retractable line is wrapped around a spool that includes a spring wound on an arbor.
US07708657B2
Golf ball 2 has a center 4, a mid layer 6, a reinforcing layer 8 and a cover 10. Base polymer of the mid layer 6 includes an ionomer resin as a principal component. A melting point of the resin composition is equal to or greater than 95° C. The mid layer 6 has a thickness of 0.5 mm or greater and 2.5 mm or less. The cover 10 includes a thermoplastic resin. The cover 10 has a nominal thickness Tc of 0.1 mm or greater and 0.9 mm or less. The mid layer 6 has recessed parts which correspond to dimples 12. In the golf ball 2, the resin composition of the mid layer 6 does not flow out from a seam when forming the cover 10.
US07708656B2
Golf balls consisting of a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises a thermoset rubber center, a thermoplastic intermediate core layer, and a thermoset rubber outer core layer.
US07708655B2
The invention provides a golf ball composed of a core, a cover having a plurality of dimples on an outside surface thereof, and an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover. The intermediate layer is formed of a highly neutralized resin material, and has a Shore D hardness below 50 and a thickness of at least 1.7 mm but not more than 6.0 mm. The cover and the intermediate layer have a difference in Shore D hardness therebetween (cover Shore D hardness−intermediate layer Shore D hardness) of from 13 to 35. The cover and the intermediate layer have a combined thickness greater than 3 mm. The ball as a whole has a deflection, when compressed under a final load of 130 kgf from an initial load of 10 kgf, of at least about 2.0 mm but not more than about 4.0 mm. The golf ball, through a combination of dimples which do not cause a loss of lift in the low-velocity, low-spin rate region of the ball trajectory and a low-spin construction, travels farther and is therefore beneficial for competitive use by both skilled and amateur golfers.
US07708653B2
A sports implement in accordance with at least one exemplary implementation includes a golf club head and a force diversion apparatus on the golf club head. The force diversion apparatus may include a force conversion portion configured to redirect at least a portion of a force associated with an object impacting the force diversion apparatus and a strike plate.
US07708637B2
Each time a player character performs a boom triggering act, “1” is added to the corresponding act number counter provided for each non-player character. The value of each act number counter is periodically added to a boom value provided for each non-player character. When a boom value reaches an upper limit, the corresponding non-player character performs an act related to the boom triggering act performed by the player character. Thus, the act of each non-player character is changed in accordance with the act performed by the player character in the game world, which provides the player with a fresh feeling that the act performed by the player character set a trend in the game world.
US07708636B2
One or more inputs, such as a roll of one or more die, to a craps game are determined from one or more event results from a sporting event. A result of the craps game is based at least on the one or more determined inputs.
US07708622B2
Apparatuses and methods for conditioning polishing pads used in polishing micro-device workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an end effector for conditioning a polishing pad includes a member having a first surface and a plurality of contact elements projecting from the first surface. The member also includes a plurality of apertures configured to flow conditioning solution to the polishing pad. The apertures can extend from the first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface. The member can further include a manifold that is in fluid communication with the apertures. In another embodiment, a conditioner for conditioning the polishing pad includes an arm having at least one spray nozzle configured to spray conditioning solution onto the polishing pad and an end effector coupled to the arm. The end effector includes a first surface and a plurality of contact elements projecting from the first surface.
US07708602B2
Connector apparatus and methods providing for “keep-out” functionality against improperly sized plugs or inserts are disclosed. In one embodiment the invention discloses a connector assembly incorporating an integrated keep-out feature associated with the housing. In one variant, the connector assembly comprises a modular jack connector, and the keep-out feature(s) is/are formed substantially within one or more the sidewall(s) of the housing, thereby simplifying its assembly and reducing its cost, as well as conserving on connector interior space. In another embodiment, the keep-out feature comprises an element disposed substantially within a plane parallel to the front face of the connector. Methods for manufacturing and using connectors with integrated keep-out features are also disclosed.
US07708595B2
An electrical connector system includes a substrate (1) connected to PHY side and an electrical connector (3) mounted on the substrate (1), a transformer (5) and a common mode filter (7). The electrical connector (3) is used to mate with a cable assembly and so forms a Cable side. The transformer (5) further includes a first wire (51) having two opposite ends electrically connected to the PHY side and a second wire (53) having two opposite ends. The common mode filter (7) has a third wire (73) and a fourth wire (75) that are physically separated from the second wire (53). The third wire (73) has an end electrically connected to one end of the second wire (53) and an opposite end electrically connected to the Cable side. The fourth wire (75) has an end electrically connected to the opposite end of the second wire (53) and an opposite end electrically connected to the Cable side.
US07708591B2
A shield connector for a shielded cable including a shielding conductor provided on an outer periphery of a core wire through an insulator, and a sheath covering an outer periphery of the shielding conductor, the shield connector includes an inner metal terminal which connects to the core wire of the shielded cable, a tubular resin sleeve which receives the inner metal terminal therein and has an opening portion, a tubular outer metal terminal which receives the resin sleeve therein, has an opening portion, and is adapted to be connected to the shielding conductor. A press-contacting blade is provided on the inner metal terminal, and is adapted to be brought into press-contacting connection with the core wire from an upper side through the opening of the outer metal terminal and the opening of the resin sleeve. A support wall is formed integrally with the resin sleeve, and is disposed adjacent to the press-contacting blade of the inner metal terminal in a state that the inner metal terminal is received in the resin sleeve. The support wall has a guide portion for guiding the core wire into a central slot of the press-contacting blade by contacting the core wire before the press-contacting blade contacts the core wire when the core wire is to be press-fitted into the central slot from the upper side.
US07708586B1
An illuminated panel-mountable receptacle is disclosed. The receptacle body may be a translucent material and may be captivated to a panel by a front nut and a rear nut. A mounting nut is slotted so that the mounting nut may be threaded onto the rear portion of the receptacle body even when a cable has already been connected thereto. The mounting nut is configured to receive a light guide so that a source of illumination can be provided at a back portion of the receptacle and propagate through the receptacle so as to illuminate the receptacle when viewed by a user.
US07708580B2
An electrical connector (1) mounted to a printed circuit board (7) for receiving an IC package includes a substantially rectangular insulative housing (2) mounted to the printed circuit board (7), a plurality of contacts (3) received in the insulative housing (2), a retention member (5) mounted to the printed circuit board (7) by a pair of fasteners (6) and separated from the insulative housing (2), and a load plate (4) pivotally mounted to the retention member (5) and capable of moving between a closed position and an open position. The load plate (4) has at least one section able to engage with the fasteners (6) so that the load plate (4) is constrained when rotating relative to the retention member (5).
US07708568B1
A connector assembly adapted for electrically connecting with a mating plug connector includes a socket connector and a PCB. The socket connector has an insulating housing defining a front surface, a rear surface and a lateral surface. The front surface is formed with an inserting recess for receiving the mating plug connector. The lateral surface has a receiving groove communicating with the inserting recess. The rear surface has a receiving slot communicating with the inserting recess. A first terminal has a base plate received in the receiving groove and a first soldering plate exposing outside the insulating housing. A second terminal includes a fixing plate fixed in the receiving slot and a second soldering plate exposing outside the insulating housing. The PCB has two soldering portions. Two conductors are provided for connecting the first soldering plate and the second soldering plate with the soldering portions, respectively.
US07708556B2
The aim of the invention is to design a bulk-material cooler, particularly one for cooling cement clinker, which operates according to the walking floor principle, so that its cooling grate can be composed of a multitude of ventilated cooling grate modules, which can be assembled in an easy and variable manner, in order to obtain large lengths and widths of the cooler. When these cooling grate modules move between an advancing and returning position, even lateral and/or height offset of the guiding elements can be compensated for in a kinematic manner. To this end, the invention provides that the cooling grate, when viewed over the length and width of the cooler, is composed of a multitude of modules (13, 14) ventilated with cooling air. The coupling of the cooling grate modules of each longitudinal row of cooling grate modules is effected by an articulated joint.
US07708555B2
The gas-fired heating unit has an atmospheric gas burner including a mixing chamber and a burner medium covering the mixing chamber, a combustion chamber in which the atmospheric gas burner is arranged, a fuel gas/air supply system that has respective inlets for fuel gas and combustion air and an ignition device having at least one pilot flame and supply pipe for pilot flame gas associated the mixing chamber. In order to reduce NOx emissions and reduce ignition noise, the ignition device has an upwardly open mixing space arranged in the mixing chamber and immediately under the burner medium, the supply pipe for the pilot flame gas is connected to the mixing space and the mixing space is provided with an inlet for primary air.
US07708549B2
A blow molding machine having a revolving blow mold holder and at least one blow mold held thereon, having at least two blow mold parts, whereby to open the blow mold at least one of the blow mold parts is stationary in comparison with the position of a finished blow molded article and the other blow mold part can be moved in a lateral movement.
US07708543B2
According to one embodiment, a stamper for a magnetic recording media has patterns of protrusions and recesses to manufacture a discrete track recording type magnetic recording media having servo areas including an address portion, a preamble portion and a burst portion, and data areas including a recording track portion, the patterns of protrusions and recesses being formed at a pitch of 400 nm or less, in which a magnitude relation of depths of recesses corresponding to the address portion, the preamble portion, the burst portion and the recording track portion is inverted to a magnitude relation of area ratios of the protrusions to the recesses in the address portion, the preamble portion, the burst portion and the recording track portion.
US07708537B2
A fluid separator for a compressor is disclosed including a hollow main body having an annular flange and an annular collar formed thereon, wherein the annular collar includes an annular array of apertures formed therein for separating a liquid from a fluid and attenuating pressure pulsations of the fluid.
US07708536B2
A scroll-type refrigerant compressor with a sealed enclosure defined by a shell and containing a suction volume and a compression volume at opposite ends of the enclosure. The shell has a gas inlet, an electric motor on the suction side having a stator and defining with the shell an annular volume. The stator is surrounded by a jacket defining an annular volume with the shell and a chamber which contains the motor winding and is directed towards the compression volume, an end of the intermediate jacket directed away from the compression volume being located at an end of the stator directed away from the compression volume. Structure is provided for conveying some of the gas arriving at the gas inlet into the chamber containing the motor winding, and gas conveyed by the structure is admitted into the chamber containing the winding through the gas intake orifice.
US07708516B1
A wheel lift system for efficiently lifting and positioning a wheel and tire onto a wheel hub. The wheel lift system includes a first arm and a second arm pivotally attached to one another, a plurality of caster wheels attached to the lower portion of the arms, and a first support and a second support extending from the arms respectively for supporting a wheel and tire. A bias member is preferably attached to the arms for providing a bias force that assists in elevating the wheel and tire. Alternatively, a bias unit may be attached to the arms for providing a bias force that assists in maintaining elevation of a wheel and tire.
US07708515B2
An apparatus for transferring a plurality of substrates in manufacturing a liquid crystal display, includes a storage unit to store the plurality of substrates, an unloading member disposed in the storage unit to unload the substrates from the storage unit, a cassette disposed in the storage unit to lift and lower the plurality of substrates between respective storage substrate positions and the unloading member, a processing equipment to receive the substrates unloaded from the cassette, and a substrate feeder to receive the substrates from the storage unit unloaded by the unloading member and to load the substrates into the processing equipment.
US07708513B2
A plurality of binding elements, each of a substantially uniform thickness, the fingers being looped over and coupled to the spine such that the inner surface of the fingers is disposed against the inner surface of the spine by an adhesive when assembled. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the outer surface of the binding element is resistant to a more permanent attachment to the adhesive such that the plurality may be stacked together, and successively decoupled or removed for insertion into a stack. The binding elements may include score lines or bends in the fingers to provide a rounded closed loop structure; optional gussets in the bends inhibit straightening of the fingers. The fingers optionally include variations in cross-section along the length to relieve certain stresses to inhibit the looped finger. The binding elements optionally include structure for facilitating interaction with an automating binding process.
US07708510B2
A fastener system for retaining a loose elongate fastener in a counterbore, including an elongate fastener, such as a bolt, having a head for being received and retained in a counterbore in a structure and in generally flush relation to a surface of the structure surrounding the counterbore, and a retaining member for being secured to the structure proximate the counterbore and overlapping the counterbore to trap the loose fastener in the counterbore.
US07708509B1
Retainer for threaded fasteners such as the cap screws that secure the end caps of roller bearing assemblies to railroad axles. A locking plate is constrained against rotation relative to the fastener, a lock ring having a plurality of openings disposed along a circular path is placed over the head of the fastener, with the fastener being received in a non-circular central opening in the ring and thereby constrained against rotation relative to the ring, and tabs extending from the locking plate and engaging the lock ring through the openings to retain the lock ring on the fastener and prevent the lock ring and fastener from turning. In the disclosed embodiments, the ring can be placed on the fastener in different rotative positions, and the number of tab openings is either a prime number or another number that is not divisible by factors of the number of ring positions, whereby the fastener can be selectively locked in a relatively large number of different positions no more than a few degrees apart.
US07708504B2
A pneumatic nozzle capable of removing dry solid debris, liquids, and mixtures of solid and liquid waste is provided. The pneumatic nozzle uses a pressurized gas stream to push materials through the nozzle. The force of a pressurized gas stream provides a partial vacuum to allow material to be introduced into an opening of a nozzle via a slight suction force. Thereafter, individual particles and materials introduced into the pneumatic nozzle are pushed by a stream of pressurized gas through the nozzle.
US07708496B2
The present invention relates to the removal of subsurface contaminants and methods of using same. In more particular, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to an integrated method for remediating subsurface contaminants through the use of a low concentration surfactant solution (and methods of making and using novel surfactant solutions) followed by an abiotic polishing process to thereafter achieve a substantially reduced subsurface contaminant concentration that surfactant flushing alone cannot achieve. The present invention is focused on remediation of high viscosity hydrocarbons, such as heating oils or coal tars, with a combination of pre-injection of bio-co-solvent and surfactant (and polymer) flush approach.
US07708493B2
One aspect of the disclosure involves modifying a display marker at least partially by actuating an at least one positional display element. Another aspect of the disclosure involves modifying an effective positioning of at least one display marker relative to a supporting structure.
US07708483B2
An unbacked transport and conditioning printing system for printing a pattern on a fabric is disclosed. The system includes a fabric characterization and tension control subsystem for gathering information on variations in the fabric and an irregularity detection subsystem for detecting irregularities in the fabric, as well as, crease detection and removal. The fabric passes through a fabric drying and conditioning subsystem for characterization of the fabric. The system also includes a fabric control subsystem for advancing the fabric through a print zone, where a pattern is printed on an unbacked fabric. The fabric is transported through a drying and post-processing subsystem and a closed-loop color control subsystem.
US07708470B2
The present invention relates generally to ferrule holders and associated fiber optic connectors used in optical communications networks, optical devices, and the like to optically couple optical fibers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a ferrule holder and an associated fiber optic connector having improved anti-withdrawal and anti-rotation features, such as a twin-threaded configuration, a single-threaded configuration, a splined configuration, a broached configuration, a counter-bored configuration, a dented configuration, a finned configuration, etc. These anti-withdrawal and anti-rotation features assist in holding an optical fiber in secure optical and/or physical contact with a ferrule within the ferrule holder and associated fiber optic connector.
US07708469B2
A fiber optic connector assembly and method for venting gas inside in a fiber optic connector sub-assembly. The fiber optic connector assembly includes a connector sub-assembly including a ferrule and a ferrule holder having a passage extending therethrough. A stiffener tube having a tube body disposed about a portion of at least one optical fiber supports insertion of the optical fiber into the ferrule holder passage. The stiffener tube contains at least one opening in its tube body configured to vent gas trapped inside the stiffener tube during assembly. In this manner, the trapped gas does not form a gas pocket in the bonding agent, which could compromise bonding among the optical fiber, stiffener tube, and connector sub-assembly.
US07708468B2
A bearing arrangement for absorbing axial loads, which has a plurality of axial roller bearings arranged one behind the other and each having a housing plate, a shaft plate, and rolling body sets arranged between the runner plates. In each case, the shaft plates and the housing plates are supported axially by spacer rings arranged between them. The housing plates and the shaft plates have a constant axial thickness over their entire radial extent in the region of the rolling body sets, and at least one of the shaft plates has an annular clearance at its inner circumference which is inwardly open in the radial direction.
US07708466B2
A lubricated bushing is mounted in a mounting cavity in a bushing housing and has a body and a flange. The body has an axial hole formed coaxially through the body to rotatably hold a shaft of a rotor of a fan and a bottom concentric recess formed in a bottom end of the body. The flange is formed on and protrudes radially out from the outer wall of the body, is mounted against an inner wall of the mounting recess, extends longitudinally from the top end of body and is shorter than half the body. Even though the inner wall of the mounting cavity tightly compresses the flange, the compressive force cannot be effectively transmitted to the body to deform the axial hole, so the shaft is kept from seizing up in the axial hole.
US07708455B2
The timepiece escapement includes first (3) and second (4) impulse pallet stones secured to the balance (2) directly cooperating with the teeth of the escape wheel set (1) and a brake lever (5) periodically driven by the balance, the brake lever being provided with first (6) and second (7) locking pallet stones arranged for cooperating with the teeth of the escape wheel set (1).
US07708454B2
The mobile element includes a central rigid zone (2) provided with arms (6) extending radially from the central zone (2) towards a peripheral zone including teeth (8). The arms (6) are flexible to allow a small tangential and/or radial movement of the teeth (8) in order to absorb shocks. The invention is characterized in that the arms (6) are curved and bend gradually towards an orientation tangential to the rotation of the mobile element, in that the thickness of the arms gradually decreases, and finally, in that the ends of the arms form the teeth.
US07708452B2
A device has an electrical connector, a radiation generator, and a flexible carrier with circuitry that is operatively coupled between the connector and the radiation generator. In response to electrical power received through the connector, the circuitry energizes the radiation generator, and the radiation generator emits radiation. In a different embodiment, a device has an electrical connector, a radiation generator, and a member with circuitry embedded therein. The circuitry is operatively coupled between the connector and the radiation generator. In response to electrical power received through the connector, the circuitry energizes the radiation generator, and the radiation generator emits radiation.
US07708449B2
An illumination device includes a light source member, a flexible wired board the light source member mounted thereon and a wiring provided thereon, and a structure to be stuck to the wired hoard via sticking members at a plurality of sticking surfaces, wherein one end of the wiring provided on the wired board is electrically connected to and terminated at the light source member, and the other end of the wiring is provided with a connecting path to be electrically connected to the outside, and wherein the bond strength of the plurality of sticking surfaces is set in such a manner that the bond strength of the sticking surface located on the one end side of the wiring is lower than that of the sticking surface located on the other end side of the wiring.
US07708447B2
The present invention is based on a regulation circuit for making available a constant current supply on the basis of a transformer principle, in which there flows through the luminescent diodes (D1, . . . , DN) a triangular a.c. current varying periodically around a DC current value. Both a charging and a discharging current of inductive reactance connected in series to the luminescent diodes (D 1, . . . , DN), functioning as a storage choke for filtering of mains harmonics, flows as diode current through the luminescent diodes (D 1, . . . , DN). According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention the ceramic circuit board of the LED illumination module in accordance with the invention has a direct mains current supply, which for protection from mechanical damage is accommodated in a transparent housing having a highly transparent polymer mass serving as optically active lens surface.
US07708440B2
An electric ballast attached to the outside of a lighting system. The system comprises a lamp housing with front and rear openings, a front lens closing the front opening, a discharge lamp put in the housing, and a reflector that reflects light of the lamp toward the lens. The ballast comprises: a ballast housing which closes the rear opening and is connected with frame ground via at least one of the lamp housing and the reflector; a lamp socket and an igniter, put in the front of the ballast housing; and a power converter put in the ballast housing. The output of the converter is connected with the socket, which directly connects with the lamp, and the igniter is connected between them. Heat generating parts of the converter are put in the rear of the ballast housing, and the rear functions as a radiator.
US07708435B2
In light that is irradiated from a front light of a vehicle illumination device, a portion thereof is modulated to include a light signal, and a camera captures light from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle illumination device identifies luminance point(s) in the captured images of the camera, and also detects for the light signal, and extracts the luminance point(s) in the captured images other than the luminance point(s) with the detected light signal. The vehicle illumination device identifies segmented region(s) in the light distribution range of the front light that correspond to the extracted luminance point(s), and control is undertaken of the light distribution such that the identified segmented regions are made in a non-illuminating state, and the segmented regions other than those identified are illuminated. By doing so, control of the light distribution for light that is irradiated from the vehicle itself may be prevented.
US07708430B2
An embodiment may comprise a baffle blade or blades, an article of manufacture, and/or a luminaire comprising: a blade member with a reflective top section.
US07708426B2
The present invention provides a flashlight or device having a body with a battery, and a circuit therebetween; recharging terminals for recharging the battery and an adaptor having electrical connectors for connecting to a power supply; structural connection means on the body and or the adaptor to releasably connect the body and the adaptor; and electrical connection means on both the body and the adaptor to releasably electrically connect the terminals and the adaptor.The present invention also provides a flashlight having a body with a light means at one end, a battery, and a circuit therebetween, so that when the circuit is closed the light means will generate light; the light means including a conical reflector, a white light LED emitting a conical light output and a double convex lens portion, the double convex lens portion being located away from the LED so that the outside diameter of the double convex lens portion will a circle of light from the LED which is of substantially the same diameter.
US07708423B2
Disclosed herein is an illuminating apparatus for rendering lighted images of different shapes in different directions. The illuminating apparatus comprises a lamp fixture, a perforated dish affixed to the lamp pipe, a lamp shade affixed over the perforated dish, and a dome cover affixed on top of the lamp shade. The lamp fixture comprises a light bulb socket, a lamp pipe, and a lamp base. A light bulb is affixed to the light bulb socket and enclosed within the lamp shade. The dome cover comprises multiple inscriptions. The lamp shade comprises a layered mesh. The layered mesh may comprise wires crossing at right angles. On lighting the light bulb, the light passes through the perforations of the perforated dish, the inscriptions of the dome cover, and between the wires of the layered mesh, thereby rendering the lighted images of the different shapes in different directions.
US07708422B2
The present invention relates to a clip type light emitter, and in particular to a clip type light emitter capable of enhancing a visual field at night by detachably engaging a clip type light emitter to a leisure cap (including hat) generally used for a mountain climbing or fishing or travel or various sports. The clip type light emitter comprises a casing forming a body; a plurality of lamps provided at a front side of the casing at regular intervals; a switch part provided in one side of the casing; a battery provided in the interior of the casing; and a clip provided in an upper side of the casing and having one side end integrally engaged with the casing and having a certain elastic force, wherein the clip type light emitter is detachably engaged to a leisure cap (including hat) used for a mounting climbing, a fishing or various outdoor leisure and sports.
US07708420B2
A light fixture is provided which includes an improved connector arrangement between a fixture housing and a lens therefor. The connector arrangement includes a pre-mounted plunger cartridge which includes a cartridge body that mounts to the fixture housing and a resiliently biased plunger which projects through the fixture housing wall into releasable locking engagement with the lens.