US07733608B2
The present invention provides a head holding member and a head holding method of a head actuator having a very high impact resisting property, and having a simple construction, and a disk device using the head holding member and the head holding method. The head holding member resists an impact applied at a stopping time, and a stable operation can be performed at a power turning-on time.
US07733602B2
A media separator plate is provided having a plate main body and a shroud. The plate main body has a continuous, non-interrupted inner circumference and a continuous, non-interrupted outer circumference. The plate main body extends from the inner circumference to the outer circumference and includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The shroud is integrally formed with at least a portion of the outer circumference of the plate main body. The shroud is configured to at least partially surround the plate main body. The shroud extends above the top surface of the plate main body, below the bottom surface of the plate main body and outwardly from the outer circumference of the plate main body.
US07733596B2
A system and method for identifying signal degradation in a tape drive is disclosed in which a data signal read from the tape drive and the signal characteristics of the undecoded portion of the data stream are compared with a set of known values. The undecoded portion of the data may comprise the preamble portion of the signal and the comparison set of known values may be saved to local storage on the tape drive. If the comparison of the signal characteristics of the undecoded portion of the data stream and the known set of signal values indicates that data signal is degraded, a notification is generated that indicates that the signal at the tape drive is degraded.
US07733586B2
A microscope objective lens positioning assembly comprises a lens mounting member to which a microscope objective lens defining an optical axis is mounted; a support member; and a pair of leaf springs. Each leaf spring has first and second ends, the first ends of the leaf springs being secured to upper and lower aligned locations respectively on the support member, and the second ends of the leaf springs being secured to corresponding upper and lower locations respectively on the lens mounting member whereby the two leaf springs, the optical axis of the objective lens, and a line between the upper and lower aligned locations on the support member define a parallelogram, the leaf springs flexing in use in response to movement of the lens mounting member.
US07733585B2
A lens device includes a control unit, an objective lens, an image sensor, a light source, a detecting unit, and a tube assembly. The tube assembly includes a guide barrel, an outer tube, and a lens holder. The guide barrel is disposed on the control unit. The outer tube includes a tube body that is rotatably sleeve don the guide barrel, and a guiding portion. The lens holder includes a holder body having a set of projections driven by the guiding portion. The image sensor is electrically coupled to the control unit. The objective lens is optically aligned with the image sensor. The light source is coupled electrically to the control unit. The detecting unit generates a detector output indicating angular orientation of the outer tube. The control unit is responsive to the detector output to control intensity of light outputted by the light source.
US07733583B2
Reducing the outer diameter and effectively correcting various aberrations realizes a small-diameter objective optical system suitable for in vivo observation with a high numerical aperture. The invention provides a small-diameter objective optical system comprising, in order from an object plane a first lens group with positive refractive power, including at least one plano-convex lens whose convex surface faces an image plane; a second lens group with positive refractive power, including at least one concave lens; and a third lens group including a cemented lens of which a cemented surface has negative refractive power. The focal length of the third lens group is larger than the focal length of the first lens group.
US07733581B2
Large aperture optical systems that are extremely well corrected over a large flat field and over a large spectral range are disclosed. Breathing and aberration variation during focusing are optionally controlled by moving at least two groups of lens elements independently. Aberration correction in general is aided by allowing the working distance to become short relative to the format diagonal. Field curvature is largely corrected by a steeply curved concave surface relatively close to the image plane. This allows the main collective elements to be made of low-index anomalous dispersion materials in order to correct secondary spectrum. In wide-angle example embodiments, distortion may be controlled with an aspheric surface near the front of the lens.
US07733579B2
An image pickup system includes one or more optical elements, wherein an infrared cut coating in which a maximum value of reflectance at the wavelength λ of 800 to 1200 nm is 30% or more, is formed on at least two optical surfaces of the optical elements.
US07733575B2
The present invention provides optical systems, devices and methods which utilize one or more electroactive films to adjust an optical parameter of the optical device/system.
US07733565B2
It is possible to change a focal position or spot diameter of an optical stimulation laser beam without causing any misalignment of the optical axis, thus precisely applying optical stimulation to a desired position or region on a specimen. The invention provides a laser microscope comprising an observation light path for guiding an observation laser beam; an optical stimulation light path for guiding an optical stimulation laser beam; and a light-path combining unit for combining these light paths; and the laser microscope also comprises, in at least the optical stimulation light path, a focal-position adjusting unit for adjusting a focal position of the laser beam; an optical-axis misalignment detector for detecting an amount of misalignment of an optical axis between the focal-position adjusting unit and the light-path combining unit; and an alignment unit for adjusting an optical axis position on the basis of the amount of misalignment of the optical axis detected by the optical-axis misalignment detector.
US07733564B2
The use of one or more wavefront modulators in the observation beam path and/or illumination beam path of a microscope provide various advantageous results. Such modulators may be adapted to change the phase and/or the amplitude of light in such a way to carry out displacement and shaping of the focus in the object space and correction of possible aberrations. The possible areas of use include confocal microscopy, laser-assisted microscopy, conventional light microscopy and analytic microscopy.
US07733560B2
Provided is a flexible electrophoretic display. The flexible electrophoretic display includes a grayscale representation unit for representing grayscales in unit areas using reflection and transmission; upper and lower electrodes for applying a voltage to the grayscale representation unit; and a plurality of colored particles formed on the upper electrode for representing color. The upper electrode is formed of a transparent conductive material. External incident light is reflected by the colored particles formed on the upper electrode for color implementation by the flexible electrophoretic display. Thus, a compact, flexible electrophoretic display capable of displaying a high-definition image with multi-color and multi-gradation can be implemented by using multi-colored particle layers formed of metallic nano-particles.
US07733556B2
An optical beam processing device with two serially disposed birefringent elements, each element having its own direction of orientation. At least one element is pixelated with electrodes activated by control signals. The directions of orientation of the elements are aligned such that the phase shift imparted to the beam by an unactivated pixel of one element, cancels the phase shift imparted to the beam by the other element, such that the beam traversing that pixel undergoes zero phase shift. An appropriate control signal adds a phase shift to the beam passing through that pixel, so as to generate an overall phase shift through the device for any desired wavelength, which could not be readily achieved by either of the elements alone. The resulting device is thus able to provide switchable phase shifts of exactly zero and pi, for different wavelengths, generally unattainable by a single element device.
US07733554B2
A front plane laminate (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,982,178) is produced by forming a sub-assembly comprising a lamination adhesive layer and an electro-optic layer, forming an aperture through the sub-assembly, and securing a light-transmissive electrode layer to the sub-assembly so that the electrode layer extends across the aperture. Alternatively, formation of the aperture is omitted, and the electrode layer has a tab portion extending beyond the edges of the lamination adhesive and electro-optic layers. When a front plane laminate is secured to a backplane to form an electro-optic display, a stiffening layer may be attached to either part to increase its stiffness, then removed after the lamination. An electro-optic display or front plane laminate may use an adhesive layer comprising separate layers of cross-linked and non-cross-linked adhesive.
US07733551B2
An actuator, includes: a weight part; a supporting part supporting the weight part; a connecting part coupling the weight part rotatable to the supporting part and having an elastic part; a driving member for driving and rotating the weight part; and a semiconductor circuit for driving the weight part. The driving member is operated to torsionally deform the elastic part and rotate the weight part. The elastic part has a first silicon part that is mainly made of silicon and a first resin part that is mainly made of resin and coupled to the first silicon part. The supporting part has at least a second silicon part made mainly of silicon and coupled to the first silicon part of the elastic part. The semiconductor circuit is provided on the second silicon part of the supporting part.
US07733549B2
An actuator includes a substrate including an insulating surface, a first electrode positioned on the insulating surface, and a flexible drive plate which opposes the insulating surface. Te actuator also includes a conductive liquid positioned between the insulating surface and the flexible drive plate, and the conductive liquid directly or indirectly contacts the insulating surface and the flexible drive surface. Moreover, the actuator includes a potential application device electrically coupled to the first electrode and configured to apply a potential to the first electrode.
US07733546B2
A color image processing apparatus capable of performing effective trapping process is provided. The apparatus processes color image data expressed by plural colors and comprises a drift information storing portion storing color drift information with respect to each of the plurality of colors; a boundary detecting portion detecting a boundary portion of the image data of the plural colors; a color change detecting portion detecting a color change in the boundary portion of the image data detected by the boundary detecting portion; a color drift direction recognizing portion recognizing a color drift direction with reference to the drift information storing portion according to the color change in the boundary portion detected by the color change detecting portion; and an image correcting portion correcting the color change in the boundary portion of the image data according to the color drift direction recognized by the color drift direction recognizing portion.
US07733543B2
A document illumination apparatus includes a first light source configured to emit light. A first lower reflector is configured to reflect the light emitted from the first light source. A first upper reflector is configured to reflect the light reflected by the first lower reflector to illuminate a document. A first non-reflective area is disposed between the first lower and upper reflectors.
US07733538B2
There are provided a platen on which an original is mounted, a line sensor that performs photoelectric conversion on light from the original on the platen, a first carriage that moves along the platen and guides the light from the original to the line sensor, a first housing that stores and supports the first carriage to be movable along the platen, first driving means for moving the first carriage, a second carriage provided with a plurality of rod-shaped light-source lamps that applies light to the original, a second housing that stores and supports the second carriage to be movable along the platen and covers the platen, second driving means for moving the second carriage, and control means for controlling the first driving means, the second driving means and lighting of the plurality of light-source lamps.
US07733537B2
A scanning device includes a first chassis, a second chassis and a calibration mechanism. The first chassis is for scanning one side of a document. The second chassis is for scanning the other side of the document. The second chassis is movably disposed opposite the first chassis. The calibration mechanism is for calibrating the color depth of the scan image. The calibration mechanism includes a calibration sheet and an elastic member. One end of the elastic member is fixed in the scanning device. The second chassis exerts a force on the calibration sheet to generate a relative movement between the calibration sheet and the first chassis. When the second chassis ceases exerting the force, the elastic member releases a resilient force for moving the calibration sheet to a starting position. The first chassis performs dynamic calibration by the relative movement between the first chassis and the calibration sheet.
US07733536B2
An apparatus for processing an input image including M image units is provided. Each of the M image units respectively includes N pixels. Each of the pixels respectively has an original gray scale. The apparatus includes a converting module, a gain generating module, and a contrast enhancing module. The converting module is used for generating M luminances. Based on the original gray scales of the N pixels in the ith image unit among the M image units, the converting module generates the ith luminance among the M luminances. A maximum luminance and a minimum luminance are generated based on the M luminances. The gain generating module generates a contrast gain and a minimum gray scale based on the maximum luminance and the minimum luminance. Based on the contrast gain and the minimum gray scale, the contrast enhancing module adjusts the original gray scales of the pixels in the input image.
US07733530B2
A printing system for printing both secure value documents and non-secure documents while ensuring that fraudulent copies of secure value documents printed by the printing system can be detected is provided. The printing system determines if the source is a secure or non-secure source. If the source of the image is a secure source, it will print the image, including any graphic security features. If the source is a non-secure source, before printing the image a filter is applied to the image data to remove any graphic security features included in the received image and/or the printing system will not add any graphic security features to the received image to ensure that the printed image will not contain any copy detection graphic security features.
US07733527B2
An image processing device includes a separation unit that separates image information including a first image having plural color components and a second image having a specific color component and to be overlaid at least in part on the first image into a specific color component image of the same color component as the specific color component and an image with color components other than the specific color component among the plural color components; a color conversion unit that performs color conversion of the image with color components other than the specific color component, separated by the separation unit; and a combination unit that combines the color-converted image with color components other than the specific color component, converted by the color conversion unit, and the specific color component image separated by the separation unit.
US07733526B2
A method and apparatus for converting an input color space into a CMYK color space are provided. The method includes converting a color signal of a predetermined input color space into an sRGB color space, converting the color signal of the sRGB color space into an sRGB L*a*b* color space, and converting the color signal of the sRGB L*a*b* color space into a color signal of a printer-output CMYK color space (CMYKPrinter) using a lookup table.
US07733523B2
An image processing apparatus for measuring concentration of concentration patterns by optical sensors and correcting image information on the basis of a correction value obtained on the basis of measured concentration values has: a measured concentration value obtaining unit which measures the concentration in different concentration patterns by the optical sensors and obtains the measured concentration values; an estimation value obtaining unit which estimates original concentration by an independent component analysis on the basis of the obtained measured concentration values and obtains an estimation value; and a correction value obtaining unit which obtains the correction value for allowing the measured concentration value to approach the obtained estimation value. An influence of color noises is reduced, thereby correcting an image.
US07733520B2
Even when a part of a subject image is cut down after imaging, an image of good image quality is obtained. When a subject is imaged, divisional photometry (divided brightness measuring) is performed. Image data representing an image of the subject and a divisional photometry values are recorded on a memory card in correspondence with photometry sections obtained by division. At the time of reproduction (playback), image data is read out of the memory card, to display the subject image. A desired part of the displayed subject image is cut out (trimmed). Correction is made such that the brightness of the trimmed image is proper using the divisional photometry values corresponding to the trimmed image.
US07733514B2
User identification information which is acquired from an originating portable terminal and identifies the originating portable terminal and a destination portable terminal after a wireless communication session is carried out between these portable terminals is registered in a print job database in correlation with print image data to be subjected to image formation. Further, print image data correlated to user identification information corresponding to user confirmation information which is acquired from the destination portable terminal and identifies the originating and destination portable terminals of the wireless communication session carried out between these portable terminals is extracted while referring to the print job database.
US07733509B2
A printing system and method for printing XML files directly using a formatting template is disclosed. The formatting template includes an XML Descriptor (XMD) associated with each XML data element in a tree structure of the XML document. XML Descriptors (XMDs) are identified by an associated qualified tag. The qualified tag includes a concatenation of a plurality of XML start tags representing start tags hierarchically traversed in the tree structure of the XML document to reach the XML data element associated therewith. The XMDs provide formatting to content associated with the XML data element. A printer prints the rendered XML document according to the template using the XMDs.
US07733508B2
A microprocessor unit of a communication terminal device determines whether or not a destination terminal is a communication terminal manufactured by a same manufacturer as the communication terminal device in accordance with a manufacturer code transmitted from the destination terminal. A display unit displays a message to notify a determination result to a transmitter and to urge the transmitter to perform a selection operation for executing or canceling a transmission of image data. When the transmitter selects a function key displayed on the display unit in accordance with the message, the microprocessor unit executes or cancels the transmission of the image data.
US07733507B2
A method of printing documents from a user workstation includes activating a printer driver for submitting a digital document file to a printer, specifying print process settings in the printer driver, and commanding the driver to submit the document file and the settings to the printer. Values of settings are either individually or collectively specified, and a collective specification is a selection of a user-selectable prestored set of settings, called a “template”. Each time a value of at least one of a predetermined set of settings is individually specified and confirmed by a user, a new template is automatically defined and made selectable in the printer driver. A new template can be renamed by the user for easy recognition. Also, a template can easily be deleted, such that the number of templates can be kept practical. The same template management method can be used for other document-related processes, such as faxing and scanning.
US07733505B2
Systems and methods for real-time determination of an angle and range to a surface are provided. In one embodiment, such a system may include a transmitter for producing an output beam, a scanner for redirecting the output beam into a scan pattern towards a surface, a receiver for receiving a beam scattered from the surface, and a processor adapted to receive continuous tangential angle data from the scanner, and range data from the receiver, in order to determine a real-time angle and range to the surface.
US07733499B2
A method for optically testing semiconductor devices or wafers using a holographic optical interference system with an infrared or thermal light source providing a light beam of coherent wavelength with a wavelength to which the semiconductor material is transparent, splitting the light beam into a reference beam and an object beam, imposing the object beam on the semiconductor material to generate a reflected object beam reflected from interior structures of the semiconductor material, adjusting the angle of the reference beam relative to the object beam between a plurality of angles with the semiconductor material being a different state for each angle of the reference beam, imposing the reflected object beam and the reference beam onto a detection device to create a plurality of interference patterns, one for each of the reference beam angles, and comparing the interference patterns to one another to determine and display characteristics within the semiconductor material.
US07733495B2
An optical multilayer mirror of a Fabry-Perot interferometer includes a reinforcing section provided as a side wall of each of second and fourth high refractive-index layers. The reinforcing section is configured to support a portion of each of the second and fourth high refractive-index layers covering a top surface of each of first and second low refractive-index layers and reach first and third high refractive-index layers via each of the first and second low refractive-index layers, respectively. Even when the first and second low refractive-index layers lack a mechanical strength with a high n ratio achieved by selecting materials for the first through fourth high refractive-index layers and the first and second low refractive-index layers, the reinforcing section helps prevent the second and fourth high refractive-index layers from being bent. The optical multilayer mirror thus features a wide high-reflectance band.
US07733492B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for a modified Sagnac interferometer having a plurality of gratings that can be reflective or transmissive. The gratings allow measurement of wavelength spectra in counter-circulating beams of the interferometer. In one embodiment, diffraction geometries at each pair of neighboring gratings are configured so that diffractive and angular contributions reinforce each other at the second of the pair of gratings. In one embodiment, diffraction geometries at the gratings are configured so that the exiting beams of the interferometer satisfy the crossing condition wherein the exiting beams are on the opposite sides of a reference beam axis for a design wavelength input beam. Also disclosed are techniques for restoring the reinforcement and/or crossing conditions when these conditions are not otherwise met.
US07733490B2
Apparatus and methods to analyze downhole fluids are described herein. A disclosed example method involves obtaining a sample of a downhole fluid, and depressurizing at least a portion of the sample. Additionally, a disclosed example method involves ionizing at least the portion of the sample, and analyzing the ionized portion of the sample to determine a parameter of the downhole fluid.
US07733474B2
A defect inspection system can suppress an effect of light from a sample rough surface or a regular circuit pattern and increase a gain of light from a defect such as a foreign material to detect the defect on the sample surface with high sensitivity. When a lens with a large NA value is used, an oblique detection optics system receives the light from the defect at a reduced elevation angle with respect to the sample surface to reduce light from the sample rough surface, an oxide film rough bottom surface, and a circuit pattern, and increases the amount of the light from the defect and detected. The diameter of a lens is smaller than the diameter of a second lens, resulting in a reduction in the ability to focus the scattered light.
US07733461B2
An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system for illuminating a reticle with exposure light, a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of the reticle onto a plate via a liquid supplied to a space between the projection optical system and the plate, a supply pipe for supplying the liquid to the space, a recovery pipe for recovering the liquid from the space, and a measuring unit for measuring a refractive index of the liquid. The measuring unit includes (i) a light source for generating a measurement light having the same wavelength as that of the exposure light, (ii) a liquid reservoir for storing the liquid, the liquid reservoir being disposed apart from the space via the supply pipe or the recovery pipe, and having a transmitting surface for transmitting the measurement light and a reflecting surface for reflecting the measurement light transmitted by the transmitting surface and the liquid in the reservoir, and (iii) a detector for detecting the measurement light reflected on the reflecting surface and transmitted by the liquid in the liquid reservoir and the transmitting surface.
US07733451B2
A liquid crystal display, a method for manufacturing the same, and an apparatus for manufacturing the same are provided. A method includes forming a field-generating electrode on a panel, and forming an inorganic alignment layer on the substrate by using atmospheric pressure plasma. The process using the atmospheric pressure plasma to form the inorganic alignment layer is more simplified by omitting the etch steps of the short point area and the pad areas. Also, alignment layers may be formed on the mother glass with various shapes by using one apparatus.
US07733445B2
Chromaticity difference is decreased, which is caused by the difference of transmissivity when a light passes through a transparent conductive film to constitute pixels. Optical film thickness of each of transparent conductive films PXR, PXG, and PXB to constitute pixels (a product “nd” of refractive index “n” and film thickness “d”) is varied for each of color filters RF, GF, and BF for each pixel. The transparent conductive film is prepared by coating an ink (produced by dispersing fine particles of a transparent conductive film material such as ITO in a binder) via nozzle of an ink jet device, and then, by baking. Film thickness is controlled by the coating amount of the ink, and refractive index is controlled by volume ratio of the fine particles of conductive material to the binder contained in the transparent conductive film in consideration of those refractive indices.
US07733441B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting system having favorable luminance uniformity in a light-emitting region when the lighting system has large area. According to one feature of the invention, a lighting system comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a layer containing a light-emitting substance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, an insulating layer which is formed over a substrate in a grid form and contains a fluorescence substance, and a wiring formed over the insulating layer. The insulating layer and the wiring are covered with the first electrode so that the first electrode and the wiring are in contact with each other.
US07733437B2
Provided are a display device and a mobile terminal having the same. The display device comprises a transmissive liquid crystal panel, a first backlight unit on a rear side of the transmissive liquid crystal panel, a second backlight unit on a front side of the transmissive liquid crystal panel, and an optical shutter outside at least one of the first and second backlight units.
US07733430B2
LCD panel having two pixel electrodes, coupling capacitance Cx, and satisfying Cst1/Clc1 = Cst2/Clc2
An LCD panel includes a pixel unit having a first and a second pixel electrodes. The method includes: providing a first and a second curing voltages Vcuring1, Vcuring2 based on V1=[Cst1/(Cst1+Clc1)]×Vcuring1 and V2=[Cst2/(Cst2+Clc2)]×Vcuring2, in which, V1=a voltage of the first pixel electrode and V2=a voltage of the second pixel electrode, Clc1=a first liquid crystal capacitor formed by the first pixel electrode, a liquid crystal layer and a first common electrode, Cst1=a first storage capacitor formed by a first capacitor electrode, a dielectric layer and a second common electrode, Clc2=a second liquid crystal capacitor formed by the second pixel electrode, the liquid crystal layer and the first common electrode, Cst2=a second storage capacitor formed by a second capacitor electrode, the dielectric layer and a third common electrode, and applying the first and the second curing voltages simultaneously onto the second and the third common electrodes of the pixel unit to result in a ratio of the voltage of the first pixel electrode to the voltage of the second pixel electrode ranging from 0.9 to 1.1.
US07733428B2
According to one embodiment, an audio-visual apparatus that has received operation information transmitted using infrared receives a response signal via a radio frequency from a remote controller set to a combination mode transmitting operation information using both infrared and a radio frequency. The remote controller that has received the response signal transmitted from the AV apparatus within a predetermined time is automatically set to a temporary infrared only mode transmitting operation information using infrared only in place of the combination mode.
US07733427B2
A television receiving tuner is provided which can smoothly designate a channel number, while preventing an unwanted search based on the channel number wrongly input. In the television receiving tuner, it is determined whether or not a numeric value input into one digit corresponds to any one of a plurality of channel numbers stored in a channel number data 28d1 in designation of the channel number, based on the numeric value input into the one digit, the numeric value(s) already input into another or other digits, and an inputtable numeric value list 28d2. If the value input is determined not to correspond to the channel number stored, a first annunciation image is displayed for announcing an inputting error of the channel number.
US07733425B2
A method and apparatus for optimizing picture quality of a video signal. The method includes displaying a user menu having a plurality of choices of video labels; receiving a choice of video label from the plurality via an input from a user; translating the video label into a label code; receiving at least a first video processing parameter from a look-up table corresponding to the label code; and configuring a video processor according to the first video processing parameter. The apparatus includes a microprocessor; a memory associated with the microprocessor, the memory for storing video parameters associated with video processing; a video input selector coupled to a plurality of video inputs, the video input selector also coupled to the microprocessor to receive a choice of video inputs therefrom; and a video processor connected to the microprocessor for receiving video parameters therefrom, the video processor also coupled to the video input selector to receive a video signal therefrom and to condition the video signal using the video parameters. The invention may be implemented in software, hardware, firmware, microcode, and other such media.
US07733423B2
A method for avoiding switch-over delays when changing channels in digital television transmission systems is based on a television transmission system in which a plurality of channels (K1, . . . , Kn) are transmitted in time-division-multiplexed fashion in a data stream (5). An overview channel comprising television picture information items from a plurality of the transmitted channels is provided at the transmitting end. The overview channel is decoded in the television receiver, and the picture information items of the selected channel that are provided in the overview channel are represented while changing channels.
US07733422B2
An apparatus, for use in a receiver configured to receive electronic signals, for identifying digital signals that are available for reception, includes a timing recovery device configured to receive an incoming signal, related to a transmitted signal, the incoming signal having a first symbol rate, and to re-sample the incoming signal to provide a second symbol rate, and an analyzer that is in communication with the timing recovery device and that is configured to make a determination as to whether a difference between the second symbol rate and a third symbol rate of a transmitter providing the transmitted signal is within an acceptable tolerance and to use the determination in an analysis of whether the transmitted signal is available for reception.
US07733421B1
A vector interpolator optimizes the conversion of an interlaced signal to a non-interlaced signal. The vector interpolator improves the visual clarity of slanted features in a displayed image by adjusting the luminance value of each pixel such that the appearance of “steps” or “jaggies” in the features is reduced. For each pixel, the vector interpolator determines a similarity measure for the pixels within a predetermined area around the pixel. From the similarity measure, an angle for interpolation is selected. The luminance value is then interpolated along the selected vector corresponding to the angle and applied to the pixel.
US07733412B2
An image pickup apparatus which can reduce the time required for automatic focus scanning. The size of the face is determined based on information on a subject's face, which is detected from image data acquired by shooting by an image pickup device. The subject distance is estimated based on the determined size of the face. The depth of field is calculated. A range over which the focus lens is driven varies according to the estimated subject distance and the calculated depth of field.
US07733403B2
A driving section 4 supplies a reading pulse of ‘H’ to electrodes V1 and V5 simultaneously with completion of exposure to read out electric charges to empty packets below electrodes V1, V2, V5, and V6. Then, the driving section 4 supplies a driving pulse of ‘M’ to electrodes V3 and V7 and a multiplication pulse to the electrodes V2 and V6. At this time, a level of the multiplication pulse supplied to the electrodes V2 and V6 is set so that a potential difference between the electrodes V1 and V3 and the electrode V2 and a potential difference between the electrodes V5 and V7 and the electrode V6 become values required to cause avalanche multiplication. Electric charges accumulated below the electrodes V1 to V3 move into packets formed below the electrodes V2 and V6. The avalanche multiplication occurs at the time of movement. Thus, the electric charges are multiplied.
US07733398B2
A solid-state image pickup device comprises: a semiconductor substrate; at least one photoelectric converting film that generates signal charges corresponding to an amount of incident light; at least one set of pixel electrode films arranged in row and column directions and attached to said at least one photoelectric converting film; vertical transfer paths in the semiconductor substrate, extended in the column direction; and charge accumulating portions in the surface portion of the semiconductor substrate that accumulate signal charges from the pixel electrode films, wherein the charge accumulating portions comprise a plurality of sets, each comprising a subset of the charge accumulating portions arranged in the column direction, and wherein the subset reads out the accumulated signal charges to the corresponding one of the vertical transfer paths, and wherein the two adjacent subsets of the charge accumulating portions are shifted to each other in a direction along the vertical transfer paths.
US07733397B2
A method of making a curved sensor is described. The method involves projecting portions of a curved three dimensional structure such as a hemisphere onto a two dimensional substrate in an outline pattern. The outline pattern typically serves as a perimeter of a sensor. After forming a sensor in the shape of the outline pattern, the two dimensional substrate is flexed to form a three dimensional sensor structure.
US07733393B2
A horizontal evaluation data generation section calculates an average value of pixel signals in a vertical optical black region based on given pixel data in the horizontal optical black region and outputs the calculated average value to an evaluation section. A vertical evaluation data generation section calculates an average value of pixel signals in a vertical optical black region based on given pixel data in the vertical optical black region and outputs the calculated average value to the evaluation section. The evaluation section outputs a gain value according to the difference between the two sent average values to a computing section. A smear information memory stores pixel signals in a line in the vertical optical black region. The computing section multiplies the pixel data stored in the smear information memory by the sent gain value, and subtracts the multiplied pixel data from the pixel data imaged by the CCD 5.
US07733391B2
The black level in raw image data captured from an image sensor does not always stay fixed at a constant level, but may change as a function of the analog gain and exposure time and may vary from one spatial location of the pixels to another. To carry out black-level correction on the raw image data, the black level of each of the color components is measured at one or more sampling locations. A look-up table is generated based on the measured black levels and a computation module is used to carry out black-level correction based on the information stored in the look-up table. The look up table may have information indicative of the analog gain level and the exposure time and the variations of black-levels in different spatial locations.
US07733383B2
Color temperature is calculated on the basis of image data captured by a CCD. An appropriate exposure value is calculated on the basis of a brightness component of the image data. It is determined whether or not LEDs should emit auxiliary lights to obtain the appropriate exposure value. When it is determined that the LEDs are required to emit, light quantity of the combined light to be emitted by the LEDs is calculated. The light quantities of the respective LEDs are set such that the emission ratio of the LEDs corresponds to the calculated color temperature. The LEDs emit the lights at the set light quantities. The captured image is adjusted based on the calculated color temperature.
US07733381B2
Image sensing apparatus and method generating electronic mark data based on white balance detections
An image sensing apparatus and method utilizing an image sensor, an auto white balance adjustment section, a change point detection section, and an electronic mark data generation section. The image sensor senses an image of an object and outputs an image signal corresponding to the image of the object. The auto white balance adjustment section automatically adjusts white balance of the image signal corresponding to a change of the image signal. The change point detection section detects a change point of the white balance corresponding to at least an adjustment value of the white balance while the image sensor is sensing the image of the object. The electronic mark data generation section generates electronic mark data for adjusted white balance based on time information of the change point detected by the change point detection section.
US07733378B2
An image signal generation portion 10 generates an image signal DVb of a variable frame-rate picked-up image whose frame rate can be varied. A frame rate conversion portion 30 converts a frame rate of an image signal DVu supplied to it into a frame rate of the image signal DVb and synchronizes them to provide an image signal DVw. A monitor image signal generation portion 40 uses the image signals DVb and DVw to generate an image signal DVmix of an image in which an image based on the image signal DVb and an image based on the image signal DVw are mixed and output it as a monitor image signal DMTout or SMTout. Alternatively, it generates an image signal DVwp of an image in which a part of an image based on the image signal DVb is replaced by an image based on the image signal DVw and outputs it as the monitor image signal DMTout or SMTout. It is possible to simultaneously display a variable frame-rate picked-up image and an image having a different frame rate.
US07733375B2
An imager comprises an image sensor and a controller coupled to the image sensor. The image sensor is configured to obtain an image of a field of view of the image sensor with a configuration pattern placed in the field of view. The controller is configured to determine a location of the configuration pattern within the image, interpret the configuration pattern, and set a parameter of the imager based on the interpretation of the configuration pattern.
US07733372B2
A method of measuring a quality of a test video stream, the method comprising measuring a content richness fidelity feature of the test video stream based on occurrences of color values in image frames of the test video stream; measuring a block-fidelity feature of the test video stream based on distortion at block-boundaries in the image frames of the test video stream; measuring a distortion-invisibility feature of the test video stream based on distortion at pixels of the image frames of the test video stream; and determining a quality rating for the test video stream based on the content richness fidelity feature, the block-fidelity feature and the distortion-invisibility feature measured.
US07733365B2
An imaging apparatus includes a controller executing instructions to form a latent image, and a print engine. The print engine includes a laser source, a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device, and a module for mounting the MEMS device. The print engine is communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to form the latent image using the laser source and the MEMS device. The module includes a base having a first support and a second support, the second support having a support guide feature; and a bracket attached to the MEMS device. The bracket has a central axis, a first end, and a second end, the second end having a bracket guide feature, the first end being affixed to the first support to form a cantilever arrangement. The support guide feature engages the bracket guide feature to form a sliding joint having a sliding axis substantially parallel to the central axis.
US07733347B2
Although GPUs have been harnessed to solve non-graphics problems, these solutions are not widespread because GPUs remain difficult to program. Instead, an interpreter simplifies the task of programming a GPU by providing language constructs such as a set of data types and operations that are more familiar to non-graphics programmers. The interpreter maps these familiar language constructs to the more difficult graphics programming resources such as DirectX®, OpenGL®, Cg®, and/or HLSL®.
US07733338B2
To preserve flow line characteristics in a reduced mesh, the mesh is reduced by identifying one or more flow lines in the mesh and removing a plurality of edges associated with the one or more flow lines. Such a reduction may be achieved by identifying a set of connecting edges between adjacent flow lines, or between portions of adjacent flow lines, and contracting these connecting edges in one step. The set of connecting edges to contract in any given iteration may be identified based on the flow lines. A cost metric also may be used to decide which connecting edges are in the set to be contracted. In a first technique, a lowest cost edge is selected, and other connecting edges between the same adjacent flow lines are added to the set until a threshold condition is met. This threshold condition balances preservation of flow lines with preservation of attributes. In a second technique, several sets of connecting edges are identified. The set of connecting edges with the lowest cost is contracted in each iteration, and the cost of each set is updated after each iteration.
US07733337B2
An amplification circuit comprises a capacitor arrangement (42) and a switching arrangement. The capacitor arrangement has a first capacitor (C2) which has a voltage-dependent capacitance and a second capacitor (C1) (which may also be voltage-dependent). The circuit is operable in two modes, a first mode in which the input voltage is provided to one terminal of at least the first capacitor, and a second mode in which the switching arrangement causes charge to be redistributed between the first and second capacitors such that the voltage across the first capacitor changes to reduce the capacitance of the first capacitor, the output voltage being dependent on the resulting voltage across the first capacitor. The invention uses a voltage controlled capacitance in combination with charge sharing between capacitors, which has the result of providing a voltage amplification characteristic. This arrangement can thus be used for the amplification of an analogue voltage, or the boosting of a fixed level (i.e. digital voltage). Thus, the circuit of the invention can be used for level shifting or amplification, for example for use in the pixels of an active matrix array device.
US07733335B2
A bistable electro-optic display has a plurality of pixels, each of which is capable of displaying at least three gray levels. The display is driven by a method comprising: storing a look-up table containing data representing the impulses necessary to convert an initial gray level to a final gray level; storing data representing at least an initial state of each pixel of the display; receiving an input signal representing a desired final state of at least one pixel of the display; and generating an output signal representing the impulse necessary to convert the initial state of said one pixel to the desired final state thereof, as determined from said look-up table. The invention also provides a method for reducing the remnant voltage of an electro-optic display.
US07733328B2
A roller for a control device includes a roller wheel having an outer portion formed of metal and a corrugated surface; a pivot arm configured to pivot in a first direction to contact the corrugated surface and to pivot in a second direction to move away from the corrugated surface; and energy driven means configured to pivot the pivot arm.
US07733327B2
An input device includes a positioning element and a spring member. The positioning element comprises a generally disc shaped member. The spring member is a generally annular shaped spring member that is generally planar and that defines a generally serpentine pattern. The spring member is positioned laterally outward relative to the positioning element and is configured to exert a biasing force radially inwardly toward the positioning element.
US07733323B2
A reflective display apparatus that creates a display by moving particles includes a front substrate and a back substrate, a plurality of colored charged particles and an insulated liquid sandwiched between the front substrate and back substrate. A reflective first electrode and a second electrode are placed on the back substrate, and a support member is provided to keep a distance between the front substrate and the back substrate. A first portion of an area of the first electrode which borders on the second electrode is covered by a colored layer, which color is the same as the color of the charged particles.
US07733313B2
A picture quality control system can determine a location of a display panel defect. The system can calculate data used to compensate for the display defect and modulate the compensation data on a video signal to compensate for the defect. The defect may be associated with a pixel or with a display panel area. A picture quality system may include a memory and a compensation circuit. The memory may store compensation data that represents a panel defect location and/or a charge characteristic. The compensation circuit may process the compensation data to increase or decrease brightness information and/or component information of a video signal.
US07733312B2
A liquid crystal display, in accordance with the present invention, includes a substrate and a plurality of driving signal lines formed on the substrate. The plurality of driving signal lines includes a plurality of voltage transmission lines. Each voltage transmission line carries one of a plurality of predetermined voltages and the voltage transmission lines are arranged on the substrate according to the magnitudes of the predetermined voltages that the voltage transmission lines carry.
US07733310B2
Fluorescent screens and display systems and devices based on such screens using at least one excitation optical beam to excite one or more fluorescent materials on a screen which emit light to form images. The fluorescent materials may include phosphor materials and non-phosphor materials such as quantum dots. A screen may include a multi-layer dichroic layer.
US07733303B2
A plasma display apparatus and a method of driving the same are disclosed. In the method, a first pulse of a positive polarity direction and a second pulse of a negative polarity direction are alternately supplied to the first electrode during a sustain period. In this case, an absolute value of a voltage of the first pulse is different from an absolute value of a voltage of the second pulse. A third pulse of a positive polarity direction to the third electrode is supplied during the supply of the first pulse, and a fourth pulse having a sum of a voltage magnitude of the third pulse and a voltage magnitude of the second pulse is supplied to the third electrode during the supply of the second pulse.
US07733301B2
The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus and driving method thereof, wherein rising and/or falling times of data pulses applied to address electrodes in an address period are controlled to reduce noise generation. Thus, address discharge is stabilized, discharge efficiency of plasma display panel is enhanced, and electrical damage to data drive ICs is prevented. The plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes, a data driving unit including a plurality of data drive ICs that has a plurality of channels, wherein the data drive ICs are electrically connected to the address electrodes through the channels and drive the address electrodes, and a data pulse controller that controls the voltage-rising time and/or the voltage-falling time of the data pulses applied to the plurality of the address electrodes in an address period to be a sufficient duration, e.g. 100 ns or longer, by controlling the data driving unit.
US07733292B2
A frequency modulation (FM) chip antenna having a microwave base board printed thereon with a helical radiation metallic member of a single layer or multiple layers, the microwave base board is provided with a feeding point and a grounding point to receive energy in the mode of electromagnetic wave coupling.
US07733291B2
According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of antenna radial systems. In one exemplary embodiment, an antenna radial system generally includes a washer having a channel disposed along a first side of the washer. A radial includes a locking portion configured to be received within the channel. The radial also includes elongate portions extending outwardly from the locking portion such that an angle is defined between each elongate portion and the locking portion. A bushing cooperates with the washer for sandwiching the radial's locking portion therebetween to thereby help retain the radial's locking portion within the channel.
US07733285B2
An antenna configuration includes two closely spaced antennas each positioned so as to be orthogonally polarized with respect to the other. The antenna configuration increases antenna isolation and reduces electromagnetic coupling between donor side antenna and repeat side antenna. The antennas include printed dipoles connected to respective transceivers through respective baluns to balance the non-symmetrical portions of the antenna feed paths to reduce unwanted radiation therein. Printed features such as chokes and non-symmetrical and non-parallel structures are preferably included in the ground plane of a multi-layer circuit board to reduce or eliminate circulating ground currents.
US07733283B2
An antenna device includes: a winding component having an approximately cylindrical shaped winding shaft portion and a flange portion disposed to project outside the winding shaft portion in at least one end portion of both end portions in an axial direction of the winding shaft portion; a pair of binding terminals disposed to project outside the flange portion in at least one of the flange portions; and a winding both ends of which are bound to the pair of binding terminals. The flange portion on which the binding terminals are disposed has an approximate disk shape. At least one binding terminal is disposed to be oriented along a direction approximately perpendicular to an outer periphery of the flange portion on which the binding terminal is disposed.
US07733280B2
An antenna system includes plural antennas. Each antenna is different than every other antenna. Each antenna is characterized by a principal plane. A principal plane of a first antenna is oblique to a principal plane of a second antenna. The first antenna includes a first insulating substrate extending in the principal plane of the first antenna. The first antenna further includes a first radiating element and a connected first conductor and includes a second radiating element and a connected second conductor. The first antenna further includes a coupling conductor coupling the second radiating element and the first conductor. The first antenna further includes a first coupler having a first signal conductor and a second signal conductor. The first signal conductor is coupled to the second conductor, and the second signal conductor is coupled to the first radiating element.
US07733275B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display unit on which an antenna is mounted, an LCD provided on the display unit, and a controller which controls the amount of radiation of an electromagnetic wave from the antenna, when the antenna is located in a downward direction of an image displayed on the LCD.
US07733274B2
A vertical polarized omni-directional monopole antenna including a single folded sheet of metal including a ground plane portion, from which extend generally perpendicularly thereto at least four posts, which terminate in respective diagonally extending portions extending generally perpendicularly to the posts, the diagonally extending portions being joined at first and second junction portions, and a connection portion extending from the second junction portion and a coaxial cable having a first conductor coupled to the connection portion and a second conductor coupled to the ground plane portion.
US07733273B2
An antenna includes a polyhedral dielectric material, a feed loop, a polygonal radiating patch, and shorting plates. The feed loop is electrically connected with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag chip for supplying power to the RFID tag chip. The polygonal radiating patch is magnetically coupled with the feed loop for radiating the electromagnetic waves. Each of the shorting plates disconnects the radiating patch and a ground surface and controls the magnetic coupling of the radiating patch and the feed loop. Accordingly, an RFID tag that can be attached to a metal material is provided.
US07733268B2
A method and apparatus for determining the location of a device from signals provided by a plurality of satellites. A device receives a first plurality of signals comprising one signal from each of a first plurality of satellites and determines a first location of the device as a function of the first plurality of signals. The device then determines a second location thereof as a function of a second plurality of signals if the first location is not within a predetermined threshold. The second plurality of signals is a first subset of the first plurality of signals.
US07733261B2
A hybrid analog to digital converter circuit for a feedback input to a digital controller of a power supply includes a high resolution, analog to digital converter circuit in communication with a voltage error signal. The high resolution analog to digital converter circuit is configured to provide a first correction signal to the digital controller when the voltage error signal is within a first error range. The hybrid analog to digital converter circuit also includes at least one flash analog to digital converter circuit in communication with the voltage error signal. The flash analog to digital converter circuit(s) is configured to provide at least a second correction signal to the digital controller when the voltage error signal is within at least a second error range.
US07733249B2
The present invention relates to a data compression and decompression system and method for lossless compressing digital data. In one preferred embodiment, the method for handling a data stream having a number of data objects comprising a step of performing a compressing process on a data object based on a compression based value to obtain at least one compressed data result, wherein the data object is considered as one numerical value. The device for handling the data stream comprising a compression means for compressing the data objects according to a compression base value. In another preferred embodiment, the method for handling data having a number of data objects comprising a step of performing a compressing process on a data object by obtaining a compression code for the data object according to a compression coding table, wherein the data object is considered as one numerical value. The device for handling a data stream comprising a compression means for compressing the data objects according to a compression coding table.
US07733247B1
The invention provides a method and system for reducing redundant data blocks. The method includes encoding a first data block having a first length into a bitstream having a second length, transmitting the bitstream to a server device, and reducing redundant data blocks by decoding the first data block from a first plurality of data blocks and the bitstream where each block in the first plurality of data blocks has a length equal to the first length.
US07733246B2
Circuitry for providing non-uniform analog-to-digital (“A/D”) signal conversion for wideband signals is provided. The circuitry of the invention is optimized for wideband signals because it does not sacrifice the small-scale resolution of high-probability signal amplitudes while preventing the clipping of low-probability signal amplitudes. The circuitry includes a nonlinear amplifier and an A/D converter that may be uniform or non-uniform. The digital output of the A/D converter may be further processed by circuitry that has an output function that is the inverse of that of the nonlinear amplifier, so as to maintain linear A/D conversion.
US07733233B2
Methods and systems for detecting a predetermined position of a user wearing a disposable absorbent article are given. The methods and systems may include detecting that the user of the disposable absorbent article is in the predetermined position, wherein the predetermined position is determined to be a potentially life-threatening position. In response to determining that the user is in the predetermined position, an operation of a transmitter located on the disposable absorbent article is controlled. Movement, location and/or various biometrics of the user may also be monitored.
US07733223B2
A system, method, computer program product, and carrier are described for accepting user-response-indicative data and environmental-regularity-indicative data from an environment and configuring a distillation recording of the environmental-regularity-indicative data and a distillation recording of the user-response-indicative data.
US07733216B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an RF ID tag capable of reporting receiver signal strength indication, wherein the receiver signal strength may be indicated by an a RSSI byte included with an electronic product code (EPC) data packet. The EPC data packet may be in the standard SGTIN-64 EPC data format. Further, the RF ID tag capable of reporting signal strength may enable power control or beam steering.
US07733215B2
An electric power supply system includes an electric power reception apparatus and an electric power supply apparatus adapted to supply electric power to the electric power reception apparatus when the electric power reception apparatus is placed on the electric power supply apparatus. The electric power supply apparatus includes a plurality of electric power supply units adapted to supply electric power by electromagnetic induction to the electric power reception apparatus. A selection unit of the electric power supply apparatus selects, from the total plurality of electric power supply units, a plurality of electric power supply units whose location corresponds to a position where the electric power reception apparatus is placed, and a control unit controls the supply of electric power such that electric power is supplied to the electric power reception apparatus from the selected plurality of electric power supply units.
US07733207B2
Provided are an inductor, which is vertically formed, and an electronic device having the inductor, and more particularly, an inductor capable of minimizing loss of a surface area and accomplishing high efficiency impedance by vertically forming the inductor in a plurality of insulating layers, and an electronic device having the same. The inductor includes a plurality of conductive lines disposed in the insulating layers; and vias vertically formed in the insulating layers to electrically connect the plurality of conductive lines. When a board or an electronic device including an inductor proposed by the present invention is manufactured, the inductor can occupy a minimum area in the electronic device or board while providing high inductance. In particular, the surface area of the electronic device or board occupied by the inductor can be remarkably decreased to reduce manufacturing costs.
US07733200B2
Apparatus including substrate, pusher assembly, and flexor assembly adjacent to pusher assembly. Pusher assembly includes hot and cold pusher arms. First ends of hot and cold pusher arms are anchored over substrate. Second ends of hot and cold pusher arms are coupled together and suspended for lateral displacement over substrate. Flexor assembly includes flexor arm, and conductor having actuator contact. First end of flexor arm is anchored over substrate. Pusher assembly is configured for causing lateral displacement of second end of flexor arm and of actuator contact over the substrate. Method includes providing apparatus and causing pusher assembly to laterally displace second end of flexor arm and actuator contact over substrate.
US07733198B1
A microfabricated bulk wave acoustic bandgap device comprises a periodic two-dimensional array of scatterers embedded within the matrix material membrane, wherein the scatterer material has a density and/or elastic constant that is different than the matrix material and wherein the periodicity of the array causes destructive interference of the acoustic wave within an acoustic bandgap. The membrane can be suspended above a substrate by an air or vacuum gap to provide acoustic isolation from the substrate. The device can be fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies. Such microfabricated bulk wave phononic bandgap devices are useful for acoustic isolation in the ultrasonic, VHF, or UHF regime (i.e., frequencies of order 1 MHz to 10 GHz and higher, and lattice constants of order 100 μm or less).
US07733196B2
An antenna duplexer includes a piezoelectric substrate having a surface, a grounding terminal to be grounded, first and second surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters mounted on the piezoelectric substrate, first and second terminals connected to the first and second SAW filters, respectively, and a line mounted on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate between the first SAW filter and the second SAW filter. A stray coupling path is produced between the first and second terminals. A first end of the line is connected to the grounding terminal. A second end of the line opens and is coupled capacitively to the stray coupling path. The antenna duplexer has a large isolation characteristic between the surface acoustic wave filters.
US07733192B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voltage controlled oscillator controlling frequency of an output signal according to input voltage, the voltage controlled oscillator including a current controlled oscillator setting the frequency of the output signal based on control current, and a voltage-current converter including a transistor controlling a current amount of the control current according to the input voltage, in which the voltage-current converter is supplied with control voltage, and threshold value voltage of the transistor is controlled according to the control voltage.
US07733188B2
A phase locked loop is disclosed. One embodiment includes a phase comparator having two phase comparator inputs and a phase comparator output. A filter having a filter input and a filter output is provided, wherein the filter input is connected to the phase comparator output. A voltage controlled oscillator has a first oscillator input and an oscillator output. The first oscillator input is connected to the filter output and the oscillator output is connected to a first of the two phase comparator inputs. The oscillator has a second oscillator input. A coupling element is connected in parallel to the filter and arranged between the phase comparator output and the second oscillator input in such a way, that an output signal of the phase comparator is amplified and input to the second oscillator input.
US07733186B2
A bias circuit including: a first current source which generates a first current; a second current source which generates a second current having a temperature-to-output current characteristic that an output current characteristic increases or decreases with a change in temperature to intersect with that of the first current; a first current-voltage conversion circuit which converts the first current to a first voltage; a second current-voltage conversion circuit which has an input terminal and converts a current inputted into the input terminal to a second voltage; a comparison circuit which compares the first voltage and the second voltage and generates a third current according to a result of the comparison; an addition unit which adds the third current to the second current and inputs a resulting current to the input terminal; and a voltage-current conversion circuit which converts the second voltage to a fourth current for bias.
US07733184B2
A circuit arrangement and method for power regulation and an amplifier arrangement for power regulation are described.
US07733173B2
A unilateral feedback power amplifier utilizes new feedback techniques and devices to make the amplified high-frequency signal unilateral, let the output power, power gain and impedance matching simultaneously accomplish the optimal values, and enhance the stability of the system. In this feedback amplifier, a generalized multi-port feedback circuit is in shunt with the input terminal and the output terminal of the power transistor. This generalized multi-port feedback circuit receives an amplified high-frequency signal and eliminates the reverse admittance of the amplified high-frequency signal to let the admittance value of the output amplified high-frequency signal approach zero so as to be unilateral. Moreover, the generalized multi-port feedback power amplifier differs from the conventional power amplifier of cascaded architecture in that the ground terminal of the power transistor is directly connected to the system ground. Therefore, the heat-radiating problem of the power transistor can be greatly improved.
US07733169B2
An operational amplifier (1B) amplifies an input signal (Vin) to produce an output signal (Vout), and includes a 3-stage amplifier (1C) including a first amplifier stage (2) receiving the input signal, a second amplifier stage (3) driven by the first amplifier stage (2), and a third amplifier stage (4) driven by the second amplifier stage to produce the output signal. A slew detection current (Idetect) is generated when the input signal (Vin) exceeds a certain magnitude, and is converted to a control signal (41) that operates a switch (MN0) to short-circuit output conductors of the first amplifier stage to prevent signal charge from building up on capacitances associated with the output of the first amplifier stage during slewing. The three stage amplifier can be a chopper-stabilized, notch-filtered amplifier.
US07733167B2
Methods and systems for reducing parasitic capacitance of a buffer for an electric circuit are disclosed and may include coupling a gate of a first transistor to a first differential input of the buffer via a first capacitor, coupling a gate of a second transistor to a second differential input of the buffer via a second capacitor. The first and second transistors may be biased by a common mode output of a direct current (DC) voltage source for the buffer. The common mode output of the DC voltage source may be directly coupled to at least one differential output of the buffer via an inductor. The first transistor and the second transistor may comprise NMOS transistors and/or PMOS transistors. The DC voltage source may comprise a PMOS transistor and/or an NMOS transistor.
US07733165B2
A circuit arrangement with an interference protection is disclosed, including a supply line and a ground line, a first circuit and a second circuit. Each of the first and second circuit is connected to the supply line and to the ground line. The circuit arrangement also includes a blocking device coupled to at least the supply line to suppress any interfering signals from being applied to the supply line.
US07733151B1
A clock signal generator (1) includes a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit (25) which requires a reference clock signal of at least a predetermined first frequency (fDIGCLK). A first clock signal (REFCLK) of a second frequency (fREF) that is substantially lower than the first frequency (fDIGCLK) is multiplied so as to produce a second clock signal (DIGCLK) which has a frequency at least as high as the first frequency (fDIGCLK) and which is phase-locked with respect to the first clock signal (REFCLK). The second clock signal (DIGCLK) is applied to a reference signal input of the PLL circuit (25), which produces an output clock signal (PLLCLK or CLKOUT).
US07733139B2
A delay locked loop circuit includes a phase-frequency detector, a sampler, a charge pump, a bias generator and a voltage-controlled element. The phase-frequency detector outputs at least one difference signal by detecting a phase difference between an input clock signal and a feedback clock signal. The sampler outputs at least one sampled signal by delaying the difference signal in accordance with the input clock signal. The charge pump generates a control voltage in accordance with the sampled signal. The bias generator generates at least one bias voltage in accordance with the control voltage. The voltage-controlled element is controlled with the bias voltage to output the feedback clock signal to the phase-frequency detector in accordance with the input clock signal. A method for eliminating jitter and offset between an input clock signal and an output clock signal in a delay locked loop circuit is also disclosed.
US07733124B1
A programmable logic device (PLD) includes a core region having a plurality of logical array blocks (LABs). Each one of the plurality of logical array blocks include a plurality of logic elements capable of communicating with each other through interconnections defined within each logical array block. The logic elements include a look up table (LUT), wherein a LUT of a first logic element and a LUT of a second logic element share a register. In one embodiment, more than two logic elements may share a register. Thus, the embodiments provide for the ability to vary sequential logic, e.g., registers, instead of rigidly fixing the sequential logic and consequently the ratio of combinatorial logic to sequential logic.
US07733119B1
Programming circuitry 200 includes a terminal 202 for coupling to a resistor having a resistance representing a corresponding programming state. Current control circuitry 204/205 selectively passes at least one exponentially weighted current through terminal 202. Detection Circuitry 201 then determines the resistance of the resistor from the at least one exponentially weighted current to determine the programming state.
US07733118B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide electronic devices, memory devices and methods of driving an on-chip signal off a chip. In one such embodiment, an on-chip signal and a second signal complementary to the on-chip signal are generated and provided to the two inputs of a differential driver. One output of the differential driver circuitry is coupled to an externally-accessible output terminal of the package. The other output may be terminated off the chip, but within the package. By routing the output signal and a second complementary output through the package, crosstalk potentially caused by the output signal can be reduced. Simultaneous switching output noise may also be reduced through use of a current-steering differential driver topology. Signal symmetry may also improve, reducing inter-symbol interference.
US07733114B2
A test handler is provided for testing electronic devices having light-emitting elements. Electronic devices are mounted at a loading position, optical measurements are conducted at a test contact position where a testing device is located for optical communication with the light-emitting elements and then tested electronic devices are removed at an unloading position. Multiple test contactors hold the electronic devices and move them to and through the loading position, test contact position and unloading position in sequence. Each test contactor comprises a device contact point including electrical conductors which are connected to electrical contacts of the electronic device when the electronic device is mounted at the device contact point, and a retaining mechanism grips the electronic device at the device contact point such that the retaining mechanism does not obstruct the optical communication between the testing device and the light-emitting element at the test contact position.
US07733113B2
A semiconductor test device of the present invention for conducting a test on a device under test, includes: a plurality of comparison units which compare a signal obtained from the device under test with a predetermined reference voltage and output a comparison result; a plurality of measuring units which are provided in correspondence with the plurality of comparison units, and measure a time from when a measurement start signal is input thereto to when the comparison result from a corresponding comparison unit is input thereto, and output a measuring result; a start signal output unit which outputs the measurement start signal at a same timing to each of the plurality of measuring units; and a computation unit which computes time differences between a plurality of signals obtained from the device under test based on the measuring results of the plurality of measuring units.
US07733112B2
A semiconductor testing circuit of the present invention includes a signal line which is connected to a terminal not to be tested and a plurality of terminals to be tested of a semiconductor device; switch circuits for controlling electrical connection/disconnection between the signal line and the terminals to be tested; and a resistor connected to one end of the signal line. With this configuration, in a test on the AC characteristics of an input signal, a test signal generated by an LSI tester can be inputted to the terminals to be tested through the terminal not to be tested and the signal line by turning on the switch circuits.
US07733108B2
A method for perpendicular positioning of a probe card relative to a test substrate, includes storing a separation position approached in a first positioning step as a distance between the needle tips of the probe card and the substrate, storing a contact position approached in a second positioning step until the probe card contacts the substrate, and displaying an image of the needle tips. For avoiding erroneous operation after a probe card has been changed, when imaging the needle tips, the stored contact position is imaged and is changed until presentation of this contact position corresponds to actual height of the tips appropriate for the respective probe card and this setting is then stored as a new contact position. A display device presents the needle tips and the stored contact position and is connected to a memory, a recording device and an input device which changes the contact position.
US07733103B2
A probe card includes a probe, a circuit board, a first reinforcing plate and a second reinforcing plate. The probe makes contact with an object. The circuit board is electrically connected to the probe. The first reinforcing plate has a first tap and a second tap for providing an adjustable gap between the first reinforcing plate and an upper surface of the circuit board. The second reinforcing plate is positioned under a lower surface of the circuit board. The second reinforcing plate combined with the second tap to form an adjustable gap between the second reinforcing plate and a lower surface of the circuit board.
US07733098B2
This invention generally relates to saturation detection circuits, in embodiments for substantially lossless detection of saturation of power switches in power integrated circuits. We describe a saturation detection circuit for detecting saturation of a power semiconductor device, the circuit including a said power semiconductor device having an input terminal and an output terminal, a second semiconductor device connected across said input and output terminals of the power semiconductor device, and a circuit responsive to a current flowing through the second semiconductor device to detect the saturation of the power semiconductor device.
US07733090B2
There is provided a magnetic field generator which is capable of generating a uniform magnetic field of a desired intensity easily and stably without increasing running cost. The magnetic field generator includes a pair of plate yokes. The plate yokes have opposed surfaces provided with magnetic pole respectively. The magnetic pole includes a permanent magnet group whereas the magnetic pole includes a permanent magnet group. Each of the permanent magnet groups is formed substantially in a disc like shape, as an integral body made of a plurality of permanent magnets and a plurality of heat conducting members. Tubular heaters, buried in the plate yokes, generate heat, which is conducted via the plate yokes to each permanent magnet and each heat conducting member which constitute the permanent magnet groups.
US07733085B2
An in-line inspection tool comprising a sensor suite, a processor processing the signal generated by at least one sensor of the sensor suite, and a canister housing the processor is disclosed. The canister may comprise a canister body formed as a hollow cylinder extending along a central axis from a first end to a second end. The canister may further comprise a canister lid inserted within the first end of the canister body. An alignment mechanism may prevent rotation of the canister lid with respect to the canister body about the central axis. A retaining ring may threadedly engage the first end of the canister body to maintain the canister lid within the first end of the canister body.
US07733084B1
An eddy current acquisition system integrates traditional elements of a nuclear steam generator tubing inspection into a single modular system comprising three subsystems: the take-up reel subsystem, the acquisition instrument, which is located in the hub of the take-up reel, and the pusher head subsystem. All of the control electronics are respectively enclosed in bases of the pusher head and the take-up reel subsystems in water-resistant and dust proof enclosures. Simplified setup is achieved by employing a single communication bus linking an identification (“ID”) chip in each component to a host computer. The ID chip stores and reports product part numbers, descriptions and serial numbers and revision or upgrade status and may also store statistical information such as device duty cycles, performance statistics, repair history, and the like. It also enables auto-fill of product information into firmware of the acquisition instrument, including probe pusher ID, take-up reel module ID, eddy current instrument ID, probe product ID and their serial numbers. It also provides automated inventory management by updating the probe inventory database based when probes are attached and detached from the system. Also implemented in the acquisition instrument module is a real-time landmark detection firmware system.
US07733083B2
A sensor-incorporated wheel support bearing assembly including double rows of rolling elements interposed between respective raceways of outer and inner members opposed to each other, a to-be-detected ring having an eccentric or multangular outer diametric shape provided in the inner member and displacement sensors provided on the outer member confronting the to-be-detected ring. In the bearing assembly, the displacement sensors have facing portion areas, variable and invariable, respectively, arranged with rotation of the to-be-detected ring.
US07733078B2
A non-contact voltage detector having a self-test feature is provided. The non-contact voltage detector may include an antenna, a detection circuit and a self-test circuit. The self-test circuit may be configured to send a test signal through a portion of the antenna and to the detection circuit. Alternatively, the self-test circuit may be configured to send a test signal to the detection circuit without sending it through a portion of the antenna.
US07733076B1
Circuits and methods are provided for generating reference currents. In one implementation, a circuit is provided that includes a first source and a current control circuit in communication with the first source. The first source generates a first reference current that is a ratio of a first reference voltage and an external resistance. The current control circuit produces a second reference current that is a ratio of a second reference voltage and the external resistance. The current control circuit produces the second reference current without being directly coupled to the external resistance.
US07733067B2
A high frequency resonant apparatus is described that includes a closed loop resonant series circuit including a capacitor, an inductor, a load, and a switching device with an anti-parallel diode. An energy source is coupled to the closed loop series circuit. The high frequency resonant apparatus also includes a controller for turning on the switching device for a time longer than one cycle of the closed loop resonant series circuit.
US07733065B2
Disclosed herein is a cooling system for vehicle battery packs, which is constructed such that an intake duct for introducing a coolant, such as air, which cools a battery pack, into the battery pack from a predetermined region is not included, air existing inside a vehicle at a region around a battery pack isolated from a cabin of the vehicle is directly introduced into the battery pack, and the air having passed through the battery pack, which has been heated, is discharged through an exhaust duct connected to an internal space of the vehicle, in which a possibility of air to be recirculated to the region around the battery pack is low. The battery pack cooling system according to the present invention uses air existing inside the vehicle. Consequently, the control of temperature and humidity is easier than when external air is used, and generation of noise and backward flow of flames and toxic gas generated during a fire, which are problems caused when the air in the cabin is used, are prevented. Furthermore, it is possible to increase the cooling efficiency of the battery pack without the provision of the intake duct for introducing air into the battery pack.
US07733062B2
An intelligent battery module for a multimedia device includes a device housing, a battery unit and an intelligent circuit arrangement. The intelligent circuit arrangement is provided within the device housing for electrically communicating a multimedia battery and the battery unit with a battery terminal of the multimedia device, in such a manner that when the multimedia battery is mounted onto a battery slot, the intelligent circuit arrangement is adapted to electrically connect the multimedia battery with the battery terminal so as to allow the multimedia battery to initially activate the multimedia device, and when the multimedia device is initially activated by the multimedia battery, the intelligent circuit arrangement is arranged to electrically connect the battery unit with the battery terminal so as to allow the multimedia device to be continuously operated by the battery unit without electrically further recourse to electricity supply of the multimedia battery.
US07733055B2
A battery pack, including a bare cell, a protection circuit board electrically connected to the bare cell, the protection circuit board including a checking unit to check whether the protection circuit board is operational, an upper case disposed on an upper side of the bare cell, the upper case having a checking hole defined therein to check the protection circuit board, the checking hole being formed to be opened to the checking unit, and a water penetration sensor, combined with an exterior of the checking hole, to cover the checking hole.
US07733054B2
In a cordless power tool system, high temperature gases created in a battery pack by the battery cells during a charging or discharging operation can be routed into a housing of one of an attached power tool or charger to reduce the temperature of the gases, prior to venting the gases externally. In an example, a battery pack has at least one vent hole for relieving pressure and a movable device covering the vent hole and configured to expose the vent hole upon a pressure set-point within the pack housing being exceeded. In another example, the pack housing includes a thin-walled section designed to break if pressure within the pack housing exceeds a given pressure setpoint. In a further example, the pack housing includes a baffle having an S-shaped cross-section for providing a vent path for gases and for preventing external fluids from entering the pack housing.
US07733052B2
A control method for a vehicle drive assembly includes applying a conduction angle set point value to a variable reluctance machine. The method also includes regulating the conduction angle set point value by comparing a table set point torque from an angle table and a torque estimation value to determine a control measurement of torque delivered by the drive assembly. The control measurement of torque is corrected to an additional conduction angle which is added to a set point angle from the angle table to determine the regulated conduction angle set point value.
US07733044B2
An IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet) motor system is provided with an IPM motor provided with a stator having slots and a rotor having poles, and a control unit which controls the rotor to the stator. An estimation precision of an initial angle position of the rotor to the stator is selected such that it is substantially the same as an angle unit precision of stable positions of the rotor to the stator which is based on a combination of the number of poles and the number of slots. In this way, the cheap IPM motor system with a high drive efficiency and a control method of the IPM motor system are provided.
US07733043B2
In a method and system for controlling a revolving door that has a plurality of chambers defined by wings of a revolver, at least one imaging sensor is provided for acquiring images of a first area where the plurality of chambers rotatably pass by or through. A drive causes the revolver to rotate in a first direction from a first position where a user can enter a first chamber via the first opening. Images are acquired by the one imaging sensor and signals are acquired from a position sensor that is operative for outputting signals indicative of the angular position of the revolver. Based on the signals acquired from the position sensor, each imaging sensor or its output is disabled and/or each image acquired by each imaging sensor is ignored when each door wing is in field-of-view of the imaging sensor.
US07733034B2
An LED driver circuit is disclosed that can drive a plurality of LED strings that are arranged in parallel, each LED string having a plurality of component LEDs that are series-connected. The LED strings can be the same type of LEDs in each string, or have different types of LEDs from one string to another. The LED driver includes a voltage control loop that dynamically regulates the output voltage across the parallel arrangement of LED strings. The output voltage is dynamically adjusted to accommodate the LED string with the largest operational voltage drop. This enables LED displays to constructed using different types of LEDs strings, but still supply the LED strings in a power efficient manner. Further, each LED string also includes its own individual current regulation loop so that the current, and therefore brightness, of each LED string can be individually adjusted.
US07733032B2
An OLED driver for driving at least one organic electroluminescence element and lighting apparatus equipped with the driver. The driver has a direct-current power source and a dimmer. The source alternately applies first voltage and second voltage across the element. The first voltage is approximately equal to drive voltage of the element. The second voltage is lower than the first voltage and higher than barrier voltage of the element. The dimmer controls the source so as to change a ratio of a first term to a second term to dimm the element. The first term is a period of time for which the first voltage is applied across the element. The second term is a period of time for which the second voltage is applied across the element.
US07733029B2
Even in a high pressure discharge lamp causing temperature difference between electrodes when an AC current is supplied, the temperature difference is eliminated to suppress the arc movement, thereby suppressing flickering caused thereby during stable lighting.The lamp current is formed into a current waveform including a standard period current supplied at a predetermined standard period and a short period current of a period shorter than the same and, on every one-half period of the standard period current, formed into a current waveform by supplying the short period current inverting the polarity from the identical polarity to the opposite polarity in the next one-half period for 1 period, in which the duty ratio before and after the polarity inversion of the short period current and the duty ratio before and after the polarity inversion side can be decided automatically by the duty ratio.
US07733028B2
A system and method is provided that eliminates DC bias on at least one of a first electrolytic capacitor and a second electrolytic capacitor of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) based inverter ballast having a shutdown control circuit in association with only one of at least two BJT switches. A duty cycle dependent capacitor is connected in a series with a bus of the ballast, and a resonant circuit, including primary winding of the output transformer and a resonant capacitor. A balancing/charging resistor is connected at one end between the first electrolytic capacitor and the second electrolytic capacitor, and at another end to the duty cycle dependent capacitor and the resonant circuit.
US07733019B2
A flat panel display device. The device includes a plurality of self-luminant devices, each of which includes at least a light emitting layer, formed on every pixel, and a lens sheet having a plurality of condensing lenses that correspond to the self-luminant devices and direct the light emitted from the self-luminant devices toward a predetermined direction. A distance between the light emitting layer and an exterior portion of the condensing lens in the direction of propagation of the light is between 50 and 500 microns so as not to overlap images of neighboring sub-pixels, that are expanded by the condensing lenses. Therefore, a lowering of image sharpness that is caused by the condensing lenses can be prevented, while a light coupling efficiency and a brightness are improved.
US07733017B2
An electroluminescent apparatus utilizes a replaceable electroluminescent element which is compressed between two electrodes that are positioned within a resealable housing which may be opened and closed so that a used electroluminescent element may be removed from between the electrodes and replaced at the end of its usable lifetime. The housing has front and rear panels associated with the respective electrodes, at least one of the panels being transparent. The apparatus may include an inflatable compressing structure, an alignment structure within the housing for alignment of the electroluminescent sheet, or transparent electrodes, and various drivers may be used allowing for monochrome or color displays. The housing may have an envelope configuration, or the electroluminescent element can have a configuration of a roll of sequential electroluminescent sheets or a tiled structure allowing for larger electroluminescent displays, within the scope of the present invention.
US07733014B2
An organic electro-luminescence diode comprises two electrodes and an organic electro-luminescence structure. The organic electro-luminescence structure is formed between the two electrodes, and includes a red light-generating unit, a green light-generating unit, a blue light-generating unit and a light-compensating unit stacked with each other. The light-compensating unit is selected from the group consisting of a white light-compensating unit, a red light-compensating unit, a green light-compensating unit, a blue light-compensating unit and a structure stacking together one light-compensating unit upon the other.
US07733013B2
Provided is a display apparatus, in which: among a red light emitting device, a green light emitting device, and a blue light emitting device, one or two of the organic light emitting devices include a metal translucent layer on a side closer to a second electrode with respect to a emission layer and a second reflection surface includes a surface of the metal translucent layer on a side of the emission layer; and the rest of the organic light emitting devices include a low-refractive index layer having a lower refractive index than the second electrode on the side closer to the second electrode with respect to the emission layer and the second reflection surface includes a surface of the low-refractive index layer on the side of the emission layer.
US07733003B2
An image forming apparatus in which a first substrate provided with an electron-emitting device and an image displaying member which electrons emitted from the electron-emitting device irradiate are arranged to be opposed is provided with a deflecting means deflecting the electrons emitted from the electron-emitting device and a trapping unit trapping an inert gas ionized by the electrons. Thereby, the damages of the electron-emitting device by the inert gas are prevented, and the life of an image display apparatus is aimed to be elongated.
US07733000B2
To improve adhesive properties between an electrically conductive polymer membrane and a solid electrolyte membrane to each other, and thus to ensure the operation of an electrically conductive polymer actuator which effects a bending motion is aimed.The bendable electrically conductive polymer actuator of the present invention is an electrically conductive polymer actuator having a laminate structure of: a first organic polymer including at least one or more of a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, a perfluorosulfonic acid/PTFE copolymer, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene oxide, and polyacrylonitrile; a solid electrolyte membrane including a mixture with an ionic liquid; and an electrically conductive polymer membrane including a mixture of polyethylenedioxythiophene and polystyrene sulfonic acid on at least one face of the solid electrolyte membrane, in which a second organic polymer including a vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer is embedded in the electrically conductive polymer membrane surface in the state being dispersed.
US07732996B2
A piezoelectric thin film device according to the present invention comprises a lower electrode, a piezoelectric thin film and an upper electrode, in which the piezoelectric thin film is formed of an alkali niobium oxide-based perovskite material expressed by (K1-xNax)NbO3 (0
US07732995B2
A piezoelectric device includes: a lower substrate; an upper substrate; an intermediate substrate sandwiched between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, the intermediate substrate including: a piezoelectric vibrating portion; a frame surrounding a periphery of the piezoelectric vibrating portion; a connecting portion coupling the piezoelectric vibrating portion and the frame; a first exciting electrode disposed on an upper surface of the piezoelectric vibrating portion; a second exciting electrode disposed on a lower surface of the piezoelectric vibrating portion; a first wiring line electrically coupled to the first exciting electrode; and a second wiring line electrically coupled to the second exciting electrode; and an inside surface coupling an upper surface and a lower surface of the frame and having a slanted surface having an interior angle with respect to one of the upper surface and the lower surface, the angle being 90 degrees or more. In the oscillator, one of the first wiring line and the second wiring line is disposed to a surface of the slanted surface.
US07732993B2
An ultrasonic sensor with stabilized transmitting/receiving characteristics capable of achieving a desired directivity easily and at low cost and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The ultrasonic sensor includes a base composed of a synthetic resin. The base includes a cylindrical side portion and a ring-shaped bent portion extending inward from a first opening of the side portion. A ring-shaped recessed portion is provided in the inner surface of the bent portion adjacent to the end of the bent portion. A piezoelectric element is disposed on the recessed portion. A sound absorber and a weight are fitted and fixed in the base. An outer casing composed of a synthetic resin is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the piezoelectric element and the outer surface of the base.
US07732992B2
CMUT elements are formed on a substrate. Electrical conductors are formed to interconnect between different portions of the substrate. The substrate is then separated into pieces while maintaining the electrical connections across the separation. Since the conductors are flexible, the separated substrate slabs may be positioned on a curved surface while maintaining the electrical interconnection between the slabs. Large curvatures may be provided, such as associated with forming a multidimensional transducer array for use in a catheter. The electrical interconnections between the different slabs and elements may allow for a walking aperture arrangement for three dimensional imaging.
US07732989B2
A piezoelectric actuator includes a metallic vibration plate, an insulating layer, a plurality of individual electrodes, a piezoelectric layer and a common electrode. The insulating layer is formed on the top surface of the vibration plate. The individual electrodes are formed on the top surface of the insulating layer. The piezoelectric layer is formed on the top surfaces of the individual electrodes. The common electrode is formed on the top surface of the piezoelectric layer over the individual electrodes. A plurality of terminals and a plurality of wirings are formed on the top surface of the insulating layer. Each of the terminals is associated with one of the individual electrodes. Each of the wirings connects one of the individual electrodes and the associated terminal.
US07732982B2
A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a rod-shaped moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. A frictionally coupled portion has a height (a length of the vibration friction portion in a sliding direction in contact with the moving portion) which is not more than 1.15 mm.
US07732980B2
To provide an electromechanical conversion element, a vibration actuator, a vibration actuator driving device, a lens barrel and a camera, which facilitate the achievement of the desired drive characteristics. An electromechanical conversion element comprising: a piezoelectric body having a polarization part polarized in a certain direction; and a plurality of separately formed electrodes on a continuous region of the polarization part.
US07732972B2
An electrical machine may include a plurality of stator coil ends each having a fluid passageway therein. The electrical machine may further include a plurality of rings and a plurality of axial connector assemblies for connecting the plurality of stator coil ends to the plurality of rings. Each axial connector assembly may include a header cap including an open end received on a respective stator coil end and a closed end opposite the open end, the closed end defining a coil spherical connector portion. The header cap may have a fluid port therein coupled to the fluid passageway of the respective stator coil end. A ring spherical connector portion may be carried by a respective ring, and a pair of connector members may receive therebetween the coil and ring spherical connector potions.
US07732969B2
A brushless motor according to the present invention is provided with: a tubular stator case; a stator core; and a rotor. The stator core includes a tubular yoke portion and a plurality of split cores. A plurality of dovetail grooves are formed in an inner peripheral surface of the yoke portion; each split core has a coil bobbin which has a mounting hole so as to penetrate in a radial direction, and a split teeth which is mounted into the mounting hole of the coil bobbin. The coil bobbin has a winding portion, and flange portions, and a clearance portion into which a winding starting end of the coil is strayed from the winding portion is formed on the inside of the one of the flange portions by reducing the thickness of the flange portion such that.
US07732967B2
Disclosed is an electric machine (1) comprising a stator (2) that encompasses a winding system (10) with three winding branches, and a certain number of effective pole pairs. Each winding branch is provided with at least one coil group, each of which contains an even number of serially connected individual coils (11) that generate an individual magnetic field, respectively. Two respective individual coils (11) of a coil group are offset relative to each other in a circumferential direction of the stator (2) in such a way that the associated individual magnetic fields are provided with an offset electrical angle relative to one another at the sixth harmonic of the number of effective pole pairs, said offset electrical angle being equal to an odd multiple of 180°.
US07732958B2
A rotating shaft is required to have an overhang for the mounting of a generator for an AC-exciter, the shaft length being increased correspondingly. The overhang may become the cause of generating shaft vibrations. A turbogenerator has a rotor over which a field winding is disposed, a coupling co-cut from a rotor shaft, an AC exciter for supplying a DC current to the field winding through a rectifier, and a generator for the AC-exciter, the generator including a permanent magnet as a field generator and supplying a DC current to a field winding of the AC exciter through the rectifier. The AC exciter and the generator are disposed over the rotor shaft. The rotor is rotated through engagement between a turbine and the coupling. The generator for the AC-exciter is mounted in a position on the side nearer to the turbine than a stator of the turbogenerator.
US07732957B2
A brushless motor includes a motor drive unit, a circuit board arranged to drive the motor drive unit having through holes formed in the upper surface and the lower surface; and a motor attachment plate including a plate-shaped base portion and plate-shaped fixing portions to fix the circuit board in place. Herein, each fixing portion includes a support portion for making contact with a surface of the circuit board; an arm portion bent in a direction that is substantially parallel to the rotational axis; and a protrusion portion inserted into a through hole, having at least one overhang extension protruding from the through hole. The overhang extension of the protrusion is bent in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis.
US07732954B2
An electrical machine has an armature with armature grooves for accommodating an armature winding and which is non-rotatably supported on an armature shaft, wherein at least one heat-conducting element is provided in the region of at least one end face of the armature.
US07732953B2
An electric motor cooling system is provided that includes a housing and first and second cooling sources that are different from one another respectively to provide first and second cooling flows. A stator is mounted in the housing and receives the first cooling flow. A rotor is rotatable relative to the stator and receives the second cooling flow. In the examples, the housing supports a journal bearing upon which the rotor is supported, and the second cooling flows through the journal bearing. The first cooling flow is provided by a low pressure source such as ram air, and the second cooling flow is provided by high pressure source such as bleed air, for example. A circumferential gap is provided between the rotor and stator. In one example, a seal is arranged between the housing and a stator for providing a cavity in fluid communication with the journal bearing and the gap. The cooling flow from the journal bearing passes through the cavity and into the gap for cooling the rotor. In another example, the rotor includes circumferentially spaced magnets providing spaces. The spaces are arranged interiorly of an exterior surface of the rotor. A passage is in communication with the spaces and journal bearing. The second cooling flow from the journal bearing passes through the passage and into the spaces for cooling the rotor.
US07732952B1
An oscillatory device incorporating a limited angle torque motor capable of oscillating one or more end effector(s) is provided. The device may additionally incorporate an ultrasound transducer and/or a waveguide structure.
US07732950B2
A radiator for a linear or curved mobile motor for removing the thermal distortion of a mover and a transporting member of a linear or curved mobile motor, and a high-accuracy, high-reliability linear or curved mobile motor using it. The linear or curved mobile motor includes a field pole having a plurality of permanent magnets with different magnetic poles arranged alternately along a field yoke, and an armature arranged opposite to the field pole via a magnetic gap and formed by winding a single or a plurality of coils around a core. The field pole is used as a stator and the armature being used as a mover that is relatively moved along the longitudinal direction of the stator. A thin plate heat pipe having therein thin holes for passing a hydraulic fluid is bright in close contact with the coil surface of the mover in parallel to a surface facing via a magnetic gap to constitute a heat absorbing unit and an end or part of the thin plate heat pipe is allowed to project from the magnetic gap to constitute a heat radiating unit.
US07732940B2
An apparatus for reducing a neutral current using a load switching method in accordance with the present invention includes a phase current detection unit for detecting a phase current in each of a top stage power line and a bottom stage power line, a load switching unit for changing an arrangement of a load connected each phase of at least one among the top stage power line and the bottom stage power line and a control unit for controlling the load switching unit so as to compare a strength of the detected phase current of the top stage power line with a strength of the detected phase current of the bottom stage power line and to change the arrangement of the load connected to each phase of at least one among the top stage power line and the bottom stage power line according to the comparison result.
US07732937B2
A semiconductor package including a leadframe having first and second major surfaces and a mold lock opening extending between the first and second major surfaces. The semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die coupled to the first major surface, and an encapsulating material formed about the semiconductor chip and a portion of the first major surface of the leadframe and filling all but a portion of the mold lock opening, the unfilled portion of the mold lock opening forming a vent extending from the second major surface to the first major surface, the vent providing a pathway for air to escape from between the second major surface and a surface to which the second major surface is to be attached.
US07732936B2
Embodiments of buffer coatings for semiconductor and integrated circuit manufacturing are presented herein, wherein the buffer coating is provided by mechanically blending a first polymer with at least a second polymer. The mechanically blended polymers producing a buffer coating that provides a barrier that is has an increased toughness and decreased shrinkage.
US07732928B2
A structure for protecting electronic package contacts is provided. The structure includes at least an electronic contact mounted on a chip, a dielectric layer, a conductor trace line and a protective layer. The protective layer is used to prevent stresses from being gathered within electronic contacts on the chip through surroundingly covering the conductor trace line.
US07732926B2
A method of manufacturing a through electrode. While using at least a first conductive film for a gate electrode as a mask, an inner trench and a peripheral trench is formed. The Inner trench is provided for an inner through electrode having a columnar semiconductor. The peripheral trench is provided for a peripheral through electrode around an annular semiconductor surrounding the inner trench. The inner trench and the peripheral trench are filled with a through electrode insulation film and a through electrode conductive film, respectively, to form an inner through electrode and a peripheral through electrode.
US07732923B2
An ultra-violet (UV) protection layer is formed over a semiconductor workpiece before depositing a UV curable dielectric layer. The UV protection layer prevents UV light from reaching and damaging underlying material layers and electrical devices. The UV protection layer comprises a layer of silicon doped with an impurity, wherein the impurity comprises O, C, H, N, or combinations thereof. The UV protection layer may comprise SiOC:H, SiON, SiN, SiCO:H, combinations thereof, or multiple layers thereof, as examples.
US07732921B2
A window-type BGA semiconductor package is revealed, primarily comprising a substrate with a wire-bonding slot, a chip disposed on a top surface of the substrate, and a plurality of bonding wires passing through the wire-bonding slot. A plurality of plating line stubs are formed on a bottom surface of the substrate, connect the bonding fingers on the substrate and extend to the wire-bonding slot. The bonding wires electrically connect the bonding pads of the chip to the corresponding bonding fingers of the substrate. The plating line stubs are compliant to the wire-bonding paths of the bonding wires correspondingly connected at the bonding fingers, such as parallel to the overlapped arrangement, to avoid electrical short between the plating line stubs and the bonding wires with no corresponding relationship of electrical connections.
US07732920B2
The flip chip mounted body of the present invention includes: a circuit board (213) having a plurality of connection terminals (211); a semiconductor chip (206) having a plurality of electrode terminals (207) that are disposed opposing the connection terminals (211); and a porous sheet (205) having a box shape that is provided on an opposite side of a formation surface of the electrode terminal (207) of the semiconductor chip (206), is folded on an outer periphery of the semiconductor chip (206) on the formation surface side of the electrode terminal (207) and is in contact with the circuit board (213), wherein the connection terminal (211) of the circuit board (213) and the electrode terminal (207) of the semiconductor chip (206) are connected electrically via a solder layer (215), and the circuit board (213) and the semiconductor chip (206) are fixed by a resin (217). Thereby, the flip chip mounted body with excellent productivity and reliability that can mount the semiconductor chip on the circuit board, and a method and an apparatus for mounting the flip chip mounted body are provided.
US07732914B1
A process for fabricating a cavity-type integrated circuit includes supporting a leadframe strip in a mold. The leadframe strip includes a die attach pad and a row of contact pads circumscribing the die attach pad. A package body is molded in the mold such that opposing surfaces of the die attach pad and of the contact pads are exposed. A semiconductor die is mounted to the die attach pad. Various ones of the contact pads are wire bonded to the semiconductor die and a lid is mounted on the package body to thereby enclose the semiconductor die and the wire bonds in a cavity of the integrated circuit package.
US07732910B2
In a lead frame, through holes are formed outside suspending leads and trenches are formed on a back surface along the suspending leads so as to communicate with the through holes. When sealing resin is injected into cavities of a resin molding die, air enters the through holes through air vents and flows out from the through holes by a resin injection pressure in the trenches, making it easier for the sealing resin to enter the through holes. Since the sealing resin leaking to the air vents can be injected into the through holes, it is possible to enhance the bonding force between the sealing resin after curing and the lead frame in the vicinity of the air vents and effect release of the resin molding die, while allowing the sealing resin leaking to the air vents to remain on the lead frame side without remaining within the air vents.
US07732901B2
An integrated circuit package system comprising: forming a finger; forming a die pad adjacent the finger; applying a fill material around the finger and the die pad; forming a cavity in the finger and fill material; and attaching an integrated circuit die over the die pad adjacent the finger with the fill material.
US07732897B2
A structure includes a substrate having a plurality of scribe line areas surrounding a plurality of die areas. Each of the die areas includes at least one first conductive structure formed over the substrate. Each of the scribe line areas includes at least one active region and at least one non-active region. The active region includes a second conductive structure formed therein. The structure further includes at least one first passivation layer formed over the first conductive structure and second conductive structure, wherein at least a portion of the first passivation layer within the non-active region is removed, whereby die-sawing damage is reduced.
US07732894B2
A method of mounting an electronic component on a substrate includes forming at least one trench in a surface of the substrate. The trenches formed in the substrate reduce a stiffness of the substrate, which provides less resistance to shear. Accordingly, the trenches reduce the amount of strain on the joints, which mount the electronic component to the substrate, which enhances the life of the joints.
US07732885B2
A semiconductor structure with dual isolation structures is disclosed. The semiconductor structure may include a protruding isolation structure in a pixel array region of a substrate and an embedded isolation structure in a peripheral device region of the same substrate. A region of the protruding isolation structure extends from an upper surface of the substrate, while another region of the protruding isolation structure may, optionally, be embedded within the substrate. The embedded isolation structure is formed within the substrate and includes an upper surface that is substantially coplanar with the upper surface of the substrate. A method of forming the semiconductor structure with dual isolation structure is also disclosed.
US07732882B2
A chip and a chip package can transmit information to each other by using a set of converters capable of communicating with each other through the emission and reception of electromagnetic signals. Both the chip and the chip package have at least one such converter physically disposed on them. Each converter is able to (1) convert received electromagnetic signals into electronic signals, which it then may relay to leads on the device on which it is disposed; and (2) receive electronic signals from leads on the device on which it is disposed and convert them into corresponding electromagnetic signals, which it may transmit to a corresponding converter on the other device. Not having a direct physical connection between the chip and the chip package decreases the inductive and capacitive effects commonly experienced with physical bonds.
US07732880B2
A conventional semiconductor device, for example, a MOS transistor including an offset gate structure has a problem that it is difficult to reduce the device size. In a semiconductor device according to the present invention, for example, in a P-channel MOS transistor including an offset gate structure, a LOCOS oxide film is formed between a source region and a drain region in an N type epitaxial layer. A gate electrode is formed to be positioned on the LOCOS oxide layer. In addition, a P type diffusion layer as the drain region and a P type diffusion layer as the source region are formed with a high positional accuracy with respect to the gate electrode. This structure makes it possible to reduce the device size of the MOS transistor.
US07732866B2
Structures and a method are disclosed for grounding gate-stack and/or silicon active region front-end-of-line structures on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, which may be used as test structures for VC inspection. In one embodiment, a structure includes a grounded bulk silicon substrate having the SOI substrate thereover, the SOI substrate including a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layer and a buried oxide (BOX) layer; the silicon active region having at least one finger element within the SOI layer, the at least one finger element isolated by a shallow trench isolation (STI) layer; and a polysilicon ground intersecting the at least one finger element and extending through the STI layer and the BOX layer to the grounded bulk silicon substrate, the polysilicon ground contacting the silicon active region and the grounded bulk silicon substrate.
US07732859B2
A graphene layer is formed on a surface of a silicon carbide substrate. A dummy gate structure is formed over the fin, in the trench, or on a portion of the planar graphene layer to implant dopants into source and drain regions. The dummy gate structure is thereafter removed to provide an opening over the channel of the transistor. Threshold voltage adjustment implantation may be performed to form a threshold voltage implant region directly beneath the channel, which comprises the graphene layer. A gate dielectric is deposited over a channel portion of the graphene layer. After an optional spacer formation, a gate conductor is formed by deposition and planarization. The resulting graphene-based field effect transistor has a high carrier mobility due to the graphene layer in the channel, low contact resistance to the source and drain region, and optimized threshold voltage and leakage due to the threshold voltage implant region.
US07732851B2
A capacitor and a method of fabricating the capacitor are provided herein. The capacitor can be formed by forming two or more dielectric layers and a lower electrode, wherein at least one of the two or more dielectric layers is formed before the lower electrode is formed.
US07732841B2
The present invention is a pixel sensor cell and method of making the same. The pixel sensor cell approximately doubles the available signal for a given quanta of light. The device of the present invention utilizes the holes produced by impinging photons in a pixel sensor cell circuit. A pixel sensor cell having reduced complexity includes an n-type collection well region formed beneath a surface of a substrate for collecting electrons generated by electromagnetic radiation impinging on the pixel sensor cell and a p-type collection well region formed beneath the surface of the substrate for collecting holes generated by the impinging photons. A circuit structure having a first input is coupled to the n-type collection well region and a second input is coupled to the p-type collection well region, wherein an output signal of the pixel sensor cell is the magnitude of the difference of a signal of the first input and a signal of the second input.
US07732829B2
A submount for an optoelectronic device includes a substrate, a first top pad on a top surface of the substrate, a first bottom pad on a bottom surface of the substrate and a first wrap-around contact in a sidewall recess of the substrate, in which the first wrap-around contact is coupled electrically to the first top pad and to the first bottom pad. Alternatively, or in addition, the submount includes a device mounting pad on the top surface of the substrate, a wire-bond pad on the top surface of the substrate, a contact pad on the bottom surface of the substrate and a feedthrough contact which extends through the substrate and electrically couples the wire-bond pad to the contact pad.
US07732826B2
The present invention discloses a semiconductor, includes one or more luminescent layers; and one or more electron gas layers with two-dimensional electron gases that are distributed parallel to the luminescent layers.
US07732819B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device of which a manufacturing process is not complicated and by which cost can be suppressed, by forming a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film typified by zinc oxide, and a manufacturing method thereof. For the semiconductor device, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate; a gate insulating film is formed covering the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film; and a first conductive film and a second conductive film are formed over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film has at least a crystallized region in a channel region.
US07732816B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as a memory device or radiation detector, is disclosed, in which data storage cells are formed on a substrate. Each of the data storage cells includes a field effect transistor having a source, drain, and gate, and a body arranged between the source and drain for storing electrical charge generated in the body. The magnitude of the net electrical charge in the body can be adjusted by input signals applied to the transistor, and the adjustment of the net electrical charge by the input signals can be at least partially cancelled by applying electrical voltage signals between the gate and the drain and between the source and the drain.
US07732810B2
An electronic device having a substrate structure having an undercut region is provided and further included is a method for forming an undercut region of a substrate structure. The method includes forming a patterned protective layer over a first electrode. The method also includes forming the substrate structure over the patterned protective layer. An opening within the substrate structure overlies an exposed portion of the substrate structure. The method further includes removing the exposed portion of the patterned protective layer, thereby exposing a portion of the first electrode and forming an undercut region of the substrate structure. The method still further includes depositing a liquid over the first electrode after removing the exposed portion of the patterned protective layer, and solidifying the liquid to form a solid layer.
US07732809B2
The present invention provides light emitting displays which produce a bright image by efficiently emitting light radiated from a light-emitting thin-film layer to the viewer side, and also produces a high-quality image of high contrast ratio and changing in color to a limited extent over a wide viewing angle range even in a bright atmosphere. The light emitting displays are provided with a plurality of light-emitting devices 70, each device 70 having a light-emitting thin-film layer 100 and a light reflective surface 300 in this order on the back side, and a circularly polarized light reflective layer 500 which separates incident light into two types of circularly polarized components, one being reflected and the other transmitted by the reflective layer, an optical compensation layer 800, a quarter-wave plate 700 and a polarizer 600 on the front side, wherein the optical compensation layer 800 is composed of a transparent body working as an optical indicatrix having little refractive index distribution in the in-plane direction and having a refractive index in the thickness direction different from that in the in-plane direction.
US07732804B2
Ionisation of one of a pair of dopant atoms in a substrate creates a double well potential, and a charge qubit is realised by the location of one or more electrons or holes within this potential. The dopant atoms may comprise phosphorous atoms, located in a silicon substrate. A solid state quantum computer may be formed using a plurality of pairs of dopant atoms, corresponding gate electrodes, and read-out devices comprising single electron transistors.
US07732801B2
A phase change memory device is provided. The phase change memory device includes a substrate with a first electrode layer formed thereon. A first phase change memory structure is on the first electrode layer and electrically connected to the first electrode layer. A second phase change memory structure is on the first phase change memory structure and electrically connected to the first phase change memory structure, wherein the first or second phase change memory structure includes a cup-shaped heating electrode. A first insulating layer covers a portion of the cup-shaped heating electrode along a first direction. A first electrode structure covers a portion of the first insulating layer and the cup-shaped heating electrode along a second direction. The first electrode structure includes a pair of phase change material sidewalls on a pair of sidewalls of the first electrode structure and covering a portion of the cup-shaped heating electrode.
US07732792B2
Mutual compatibility is established between the measurement with a high magnification and the measurement in a wide region. A pattern measurement apparatus is proposed which adds identification information to each of fragments that constitute a pattern within an image obtained by the SEM, and which stores the identification information in a predetermined storage format. Here, the identification information is added to each fragment for distinguishing between one fragment and another fragment. According to the above-described configuration, it turns out that the identification information is added to each fragment on the SEM image which has possessed no specific identification information originally. As a result, it becomes possible to implement the SEM-image management based on the identification information.
US07732788B2
For a radiation image converting panel according to the present invention, a converting portion that converts a radiation image to an optical image is formed on a support for which a dielectric multilayer film is formed on a metal reflector, and the dielectric multilayer film includes at least a first dielectric layer that is in contact with the metal reflector and a second dielectric layer that is formed on the first dielectric layer and has a higher refractive index than that of the first dielectric film layer to light emitted by the converting portion.
US07732784B2
An OCT technique that permits tomographic observation of biological body parts that are difficult to restrain, and also provides a tomographic observation technique for the observation of a constrainable part that does not require constraint and thus removes a burden on the biological body. A wavelength-tunable light generator (wavelength-tunable light source) is employed as the light source of the optical coherence tomography device. The wavelength-tunable light generator has a wave number tunable range width of at least 4.7×10−2 μm−1 and an emitted-light frequency width of no more than 13 GHz, for example, and is capable of changing the wave number stepwise at wave number intervals of no more than 3.1×10−4 μm−1 and time intervals of no more than 530 μs.
US07732778B2
The invention intends to be able to perform a gain correction fully adequately. Hence, at the time of radiographing an object, a gain correction of the object image is performed based on a gain correction image (XRc1) derived by performing a light reset. On the other hand, at the time of radiographing an object, when a light reset is not performed, a gain correction of the object image is performed based on a gain correction image (XRc2) derived without performing the light reset.
US07732774B2
A highly efficient PET breast imager for detecting lesions in the entire breast including those located close to the patient's chest wall. The breast imager includes a ring of imaging modules surrounding the imaged breast. Each imaging module includes a slant imaging light guide inserted between a gamma radiation sensor and a photodetector. The slant light guide permits the gamma radiation sensors to be placed in close proximity to the skin of the chest wall thereby extending the sensitive region of the imager to the base of the breast. Several types of photodetectors are proposed for use in the detector modules, with compact silicon photomultipliers as the preferred choice, due to its high compactness. The geometry of the detector heads and the arrangement of the detector ring significantly reduce dead regions thereby improving detection efficiency for lesions located close to the chest wall.
US07732769B2
The present embodiments provide methods, systems and apparatuses that detect, classify and locate flash events. In some implementations, some of the methods detect a flash event, trigger an imaging system in response to detecting the flash event to capture an image of an area that includes the flash event, and determines a location of the flash event.
US07732767B2
A handheld target marker is provided, wherein the target marker includes a housing retaining a quantum cascade laser, a collimating or focusing lens, a driver and a power supply. The quantum cascade laser produces a thermal infrared beam which can be selectively directed to impinge upon a target. The impinging beam is viewable by a thermal imager. The handheld target marker operates at ambient temperatures and incorporates the driver and power supply necessary for operation of the quantum cascade laser.
US07732761B2
To provide a consistent, high-speed, high-precision measurement method based on an electron beam simulation by reflecting the apparatus characteristics of a CD-SEM in an electron beam simulation, the present invention discloses a method for measuring a measurement target pattern with a CD-SEM, the method comprising the steps of performing an electron beam simulation on various target pattern shapes, which is reflected apparatus characteristic and image acquisition conditions; creating SEM simulated waveforms; storing a combination of the created SEM simulated waveforms and pattern shape information corresponding to the created SEM simulated waveforms as a library; comparing an acquired actual electron microscope image with the SEM simulated waveforms; selecting the SEM simulated waveform that is most similar to the actual electron microscope image; and estimating the shape of the measurement target pattern from the pattern shape information corresponding to the selected SEM simulated waveform.
US07732759B2
Method and system for producing a neutral beam source is described. The neutral beam source comprises a plasma generation system for forming a first plasma in a first plasma region, a plasma heating system for heating electrons from the first plasma region in a second plasma region to form a second plasma, and a neutralizer grid for neutralizing ion species from the second plasma in the second plasma region. Furthermore, the neutral beam source comprises an electron acceleration member configured to accelerate the electrons from the first plasma region into the second plasma region. Further yet, the neutral beam source comprises a pumping system that enables use of the neutral beam source for semiconductor processing applications, such as etching processes.
US07732758B2
An on-chip micro-fluidic device (10) fabricated using a semiconductor material. The device has a micro-fluidic channel or chamber (14) defined within the material and one or more monolithically integrated semiconductor lasers (12) operate to form an optical trap in the channel or chamber (14).
US07732757B2
An optical encoder equipped with an origin detection apparatus has a scale provided with an optical grating, a plurality of light receiving elements that is provided in association with the pitch of the optical grating and movable relative to the scale and a light source that illuminates the light receiving elements with light through the scale. An optically discontinuous portion is provided in the optical grating of the scale, a change of a light beam that occurs over a certain length of section at the time when a light beam corresponding to the discontinuous portion is incident on the light receiving elements, a change occurring in that section is detected, calculation is performed, and an origin position is detected from the result of the calculation.
US07732756B2
A user navigational apparatus. The user navigational apparatus includes a code wheel and an encoder. The code wheel is coupled to a dial. The code wheel includes a track of alternating reflective and non-reflective sections. The optical reflective encoder includes an emitter and a detector. The emitter generates a light signal incident on the track of the code wheel. The detector detects a reflected light signal. The reflected light signal corresponds to a portion of the incident light signal that is reflected off of the reflective sections of the track. The detector also generates a channel signal corresponding to the reflected light signal. Embodiments of this type of user navigational apparatus achieve reduced thickness compared to conventional implementations of jog wheels.
US07732754B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided an optical encoder having a photodetector array comprising motion detection photodetectors and at least one reference photodetector vertically offset from the motion detection photodetectors. The output signal generated by the at least one reference photodetectors is employed to correct undesired variations in the amplitudes of the output signals generated by the motion detection photodetectors. Such variations typically arise from various mechanical and optical misalignments in the optical encoder, and are compensated for by using the reference output signal to add to or subtract from, as required, the amplitudes of motion detection output signals.
US07732752B2
A housing for a control device includes an enclosed cavity configured to secure an optical detection system, including a light source and a sensor, and a face of the enclosed cavity configured to include a window to allow light from the light source to scatter light off of a surface and configured to allow reception of the scattered light on the sensor. In this configuration the housing is structured to prevent exposure of the optical detection system to external elements such as the surface. Also disclosed is a homodyning system for use with a coherent light source optical pointing device.
US07732748B2
Methods, devices, and systems for improving (i.e., reducing) the settling time of an output signal read from a photo sensor and improving the PSRR of the supply voltage are disclosed, wherein a detected charge in a pixel is converted to a voltage and drives a source follower transistor. A bias transistor is coupled in series with the source follower transistor and includes an output therebetween. The bias transistor is driven to source a reduced current when the voltage results from a readout of a reset value of the pixel and the bias transistor is driven to source an enhanced current when the voltage results from a readout of a sensed signal value.
US07732746B2
Provided is an image sensor including an overcoating layer and at least two micro lenses formed on the overcoating layer. The image sensor is characterized in that the overcoating layer positioned below a clearance between the micro lenses is etched such that curved surfaces of the micro lenses extend to the etched overcoating layer, and a contamination in the bonding pad can be prevented.
US07732745B2
An imaging apparatus includes a solid state imaging device having a light receiving characteristic in which an amount of light received reaches a maximum when an angle of incidence of parallel light, radiated at continuously changing angle, is not vertical (angle θ of incident light in the range of 3° to 15°) to a light receiving surface. This characteristic changes the amount of light received greatly when an aperture stop is opened, and enhances an opening/closing effect of the aperture stop. The solid state imaging device includes a core/clad light guide path structure, whose core serves as a light guide path. This light guide path includes a columnar portion located above a photodiode, and a lens portion on the columnar portion.
US07732743B1
A camera system uses a highly sensitive camera such as an intensified charge-coupled-device camera to acquire images. An image acquisition and processing tool can place the camera in a low-sensitivity mode and a high-sensitivity mode. In the low-sensitivity mode, a reference image may be acquired of a target that is illuminated by a light-emitting-diode. In the high sensitivity mode, low-photon-flux image data frames are acquired using a charge-coupled-device image sensor in the camera. The image acquisition and processing tool displays the acquired image data frames on top of the reference image in real time, so that a user is provided with immediate visual feedback. The image acquisition and processing tool has image preprocessing filters for enhancing image quality such as a sensor noise threshold filter, a cosmic ray filter, and a photon shape optimization filter. Pipeline filters may be used to further process acquired image data frames.
US07732740B2
A casing for electric stoves includes an annular frame and a bottom board that are detachably coupled through a plurality of connectors. The frame has at least one lateral side with an air convection means located thereon. The bottom board has an upper surface with a heat control means installed thereon. Through the detachable bottom board, the entire electric stoves need not to be disassembled or removed when malfunction occurs and needs repair. By separating the bottom board from the frame, the electric link between the heat control means and the electric stove can be disconnected to replace the heat control means. Thus the malfunction can be fixed quickly, and interruption or delay of cooking that might otherwise happen can be prevented.
US07732735B2
A new and improved hot melt adhesive hose assembly has a hot melt adhesive hose core, a pair of heater circuits wrapped around the external peripheral surface of the hose core, and a pair of temperature sensors also disposed in contact with the external peripheral surface of the hose core. A first one of the heater circuits is initially electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors is electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. Should a failure occur within the first one of the heater circuits, or within the first one of the temperature sensors, electrical switch mechanisms, which are fixedly mounted upon the hose assembly, can be actuated so as to effectively remove the first, failed heater circuit, or the first, failed temperature sensor from the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and substantially simultaneously therewith, electrically connect the second one of the heater circuits, or temperature sensors, to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. The hot melt adhesive hose assembly, including the heater circuits, the temperature sensors, and the switch mechanisms, effectively comprises a self-contained, stand-alone, or independent operative component that can be utilized in conjunction with any adhesive supply unit (ASU) and its temperature controller.
US07732727B2
The heavy-duty circuit-breaker with arc blowing has an element which is sensitive to hot gas and/or to gas pressure and is protected by means of a seal against a hot-gas flow. The seal is advantageously a movable non-contacting seal. The seal has a channel entrance for production of a partial hot-gas flow of the hot-gas flow and, connected downstream from this, a channel in order to reduce the mass flow of the partial hot-gas flow, and an expansion chamber in order to expand the volume of the partial hot-gas flow. The expansion chamber is a pressure-relief area. The element may, for example, be a guide element, a contact-making element or a sealing element.
US07732725B2
A method of classifying fine particles includes: introducing a fine particle dispersion containing the fine particles to a micro flow channel having an inlet part and a collection part from the inlet part; moving the fine particles to an inner upper side of the micro flow channel by an electric field applied in a gravitational direction; and delivering the fine particle dispersion in a laminar flow state to the collection part. The delivering step includes classifying the fine particles according to differences in settling velocity among the fine particles.
US07732724B2
A detent crest member is integrally rotatably mounted on a dial knob. On the other hand, on a peripheral surface of a plunger mounting member which is rotatably operated using a motor, a plurality of plunger members which generates clicks in a dial knob together with the detent crest member is mounted. In changing over click feeling, the motor is rotated thus selectively bringing one of the plunger members mounted on the plunger mounting member into resilient contact with concave/convex patterns of the detent crest member which form the pair with one plunger member.
US07732706B1
The invention is a novel manufacturing method for making multi-junction solar cell circuits that addresses current problems associated with such circuits by allowing the formation of integral diodes in the cells and allows for a large number of circuits to readily be placed on a single silicon wafer substrate. The standard Ge wafer used as the base for multi-junction solar cells is replaced with a thinner layer of Ge or a II-V semiconductor material on a silicon/silicon dioxide substrate. This allows high-voltage cells with multiple multi-junction circuits to be manufactured on a single wafer, resulting in less array assembly mass and simplified power management.
US07732701B2
The electronic musical system comprises a keyboard that has a plurality of keys to designate the pitch, a key operation detector for detecting the operating state of the keyboard, set operator that can switch to the parameter setting state, parameter value input port to input the parameter values, pressed key count detector to detect the number of pressed keys, parameter setting program for setting the parameter value according to the pressed keys detected by the key operation detector. If one key being pressed is detected, then the parameter values are set to the value of the pressed key. If, however, multiple keys being pressed are detected, then the parameter values are set to the value of the multiple pressed keys and parameter output port outputs the parameter values that were set by the parameter setting program. The electronic musical instrument allows the user to intuitively set the parameter values with a effortless operation.
US07732697B1
A method and apparatus for the creation and playback of music and/or sound; such that each time a composition is played back, a different sound sequence may be generated. In one embodiment, during composition creation, artist(s) may define how the composition may vary from playback to playback using visually interactive display(s). The artist's definition may be embedded into a composition dataset. During playback, a composition data set may be processed by a playback device and/or a playback program, so that each time the composition is played-back a unique version may be generated. Variability during playback may include: the variable selection of alternative sound segment(s); variable editing of sound segment(s) during playback processing; variable placement of sound segment(s) during playback processing; the spawning of group(s) of alternative sound segments from initiating sound segment(s); and the combining and/or mixing of alternative sound segments in one or more sound channels. MIDI-like variable compositions and the variable use of sound segments comprised of MIDI-like command sequences are also disclosed.
US07732694B2
A portable music player apparatus that outputs visual content to a head-worn transmissive display, the visual content being modulated in time with playing musical content and overlaid upon the user's direct view of his or her physical surroundings. In this way, the user is provided with an enhanced visual view of his or her physical surroundings, the enhanced visual view including transmissive visual content that is generally synchronized in time with the playing music content. This provides the user with an improved music listening experience in which he or she feels present within a visually enhanced version of the physical world that has changing visual qualities that are perceptually synchronized in time with one or more features of the playing music. The displayed visual content may include time-varying translucency and/or color-tinting such that the user's direct view of the physical world changes in brightness and/or color tinting in a manner choreographed with the playing music.
US07732684B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV886161. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV886161, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV886161 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV886161 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV886161.
US07732683B1
A novel maize variety designated PHNTV and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHNTV with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHNTV through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PHNTV or a trait conversion of PHNTV with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHNTV, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHNTV and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US07732682B1
Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated G07-NPID4586, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line G07-NPID4586 with plants of another corn plant. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred G07-NPID4586 including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line G07-NPID4586 and plants produced by said methods.
US07732681B1
Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated G07-NPDI3004, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line G07-NPDI3004 with plants of another corn plant. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred G07-NPDI3004 including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line G07-NPDI3004 and plants produced by said methods.
US07732680B2
Methods and constructs for the introduction of multiple genes encoding enzymes in a multi-enzyme biosynthetic pathway are provided. In one embodiment, the constructs contain two or more enzyme-encoding genes, each under the control of an inducible promoter and each with a polyadenylation signal. The constructs are used to produce transgenic plants, in which the expression of the enzymes are increased when a chemical inducing agent is applied, and a biosynthetic product of the series of enzymes encoded by the transgenes is produced. Constructs may be used which contain two or more enzyme-encoding genes under the control of one or more promoters activated by activator molecules or complexes expressed from a transgene or transgenes, which are themselves under the control of one or more inducible promoters and switched on following the external application of a chemical. The transgene or transgenes expressing the activator molecules or complexes may be included in the same construct containing multiple genes encoding enzymes in a multi-enzyme biosynthetic pathway. Alternatively, the transgene or transgenes expressing the activator molecules or complexes may be on a different construct from the construct containing multiple genes encoding enzymes in a multi-enzyme biosynthetic pathway. The activator molecule can be expressed using a constitutive promoter in an inactive form which is converted to the active form following application of the chemical inducing agent.
US07732672B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5142326. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5142326. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5142326 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5142326 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07732647B2
A process for purifying crude fluoromethyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl ether (sevoflurane). The crude sevoflurane is repeatedly washed with water under conditions and for a time sufficient to reduce the level of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) to no more than 200 ppm or no more than 100 ppm.
US07732646B2
An allyl type crosslinking agent for use in production of a super water-absorbent polymer comprising a polymerizable compound having a carbon-carbon double bond or a salt thereof. The crosslinking agent comprises a linear hydroxypolyallyl ether having at least one hydroxyl group and at least two allyl groups obtained by allyletherification of hydroxyl groups in a linear polyol compound selected from the group consisting of erythritol, xylitol and sorbitol. This allyl type crosslinking agent is highly soluble in an aqueous solvent, and can give an excellent super water-absorbent polymer, which cannot be obtained in the prior arts, having high levels of both of water absorptivity under atmospheric pressure and water absorptivity under pressurized conditions.
US07732641B2
A method of preparation of a highly pure salt of R,R-formoterol L-tartrate is disclosed. The process provides the most thermodynamically stable polymorph by recrystallization of a novel polymorph.
US07732623B2
The present invention relates to atorvastatin calcium, a useful agent for lowering serum cholesterol levels. New atorvastatin calcium Form V, processes for preparing the new form, and pharmaceutical compositions and dosage forms containing the new form are disclosed.
US07732614B2
The present invention concerns 2,6-quinolinyl derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals.
US07732610B2
The invention relates to new heterocyclic compounds of general formula (I), and their salts with a base or an acid: The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of these compounds as well as their use as medicaments, in particular as anti-bacterial agents.
US07732609B2
The invention provides N-cyclic sulfonamido compounds of Formula I wherein A, B, R1, R1a, R2, R2a, R3 and R3a are as described in the specification. Compounds of Formula I are useful in treating or preventing cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. The invention also encompasses pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula I, methods of preparing compounds of formula I, and methods of treating cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.
US07732593B2
Based at least in part on an understanding of the mechanisms by which small RNAs (e.g., naturally-occurring miRNAs) mediate RNA silencing in plants, rules have been established for determining, for example, the degree of complementarity required between an RNAi-mediating agent and its target, i.e., whether mismatches are tolerated, the number of mismatches tolerated, the effect of the position of the mismatches, etc. Such rules are useful, in particular, in the design of improved RNAi-mediating agents which allow for more exact control of the efficacy of RNA silencing.
US07732589B2
The present invention relates to a pair of primers specific to mycobacterial species, a polynucleotide of an hsp 65 gene fragment, and a method for the identification of mycobacterial species by using the same. More specifically, the 604-bp hsp 65 gene fragment can be applied to identification methods of mycobacteria such as the comparative sequence analysis method, the probe hybridization method, and PCR-RFLP, which can resolve the problems of a conventional identification method based on bio-chemical characteristics, where the genus mycobacterium covers various species and has a low growth rate, and of the problems of 16s rDNA. Thus, according to the identification method of the present invention, the mycobacterial species can be identified simply, economically, and accurately.
US07732588B2
The present invention provides the TWEAK receptor and methods for identifying and using agonists and antagonists of the TWEAK receptor. In particular, the invention provides methods of screening for agonists and antagonists and for treating diseases or conditions mediated by angiogenesis, such as solid tumors and vascular deficiencies of cardiac or peripheral tissue.
US07732584B2
Nucleic acid and corresponding protein entitled 193P1E1B useful in treatment and detection of cancer
A novel gene 0193P1E1B (also designated 193P1E1B) and its encoded protein, and variants thereof, are described wherein 193P1E1B exhibits tissue specific expression in normal adult tissue, and is aberrantly expressed in the cancers listed in Table I. Consequently, 193P1E1B provides a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic and/or therapeutic target for cancer. The 193P1E1B gene or fragment thereof, or its encoded protein, or variants thereof, or a fragment thereof, can be used to elicit a humoral or cellular immune response; antibodies or T cells reactive with 193P1E1B can be used in active or passive immunization.
US07732583B2
Novel glycolipid derivatives, where the substituent of the sphingosine base part is a short carbon chain alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group and efficient synthetic methods for practical mass production of the same and intermediates useful for the synthesis of these compounds.Glycolipids having the formula (I): where R3 indicates a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C7 linear alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group and R8 indicates a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C35 alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group are chemically synthesized.
US07732580B2
Provided are compositions and methods for stimulating an immune response against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). The compositions include a recombinant polypeptide that contains from its N-terminus to C-terminus a C-terminal fragment of MAP protein Map3527, a Map1519 protein amino acid sequence, followed by an N-terminal portion of Map3527. The method comprises administering the composition to an animal in an amount effective to stimulate an immunological response against MAP bacteria. The method is of benefit to any animal susceptible to MAP infection, but is particularly beneficial for ruminants.
US07732576B2
A specific region of chromosome 10 (10q23.3) has been implicated by series of studies to contain a tumor suppressor gene involved in gliomas, as well as a number of other human cancers. One gene within this region was identified, and the corresponding coding region of the gene represents a novel 47 kD protein. A domain of this product has an exact match to the conserved catalytic domain of protein tyrosine phosphatases, indicating a possible functional role in phosphorylation events. Sequence analyses demonstrated the a number of exons of the gene were deleted in tumor cell lines used to define the 10q23.3 region, leading to the classification of this gene as a tumor suppressor. Further analyses have demonstrated the presence of a number of mutations in the gene in both glioma and prostate carcinoma cells. Methods for diagnosing and treating cancers related to this tumor suppressor, designated as TS10q23.3, also are disclosed.
US07732561B2
The invention provides approximately monodispersible random copolymers obtained from monomeric mixtures of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline with 2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline, production method thereof and 2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline homopolymer obtained by using special initiator. Such polymers exhibit temperature-responsiveness in an aqueous solution within a broad temperature range, and are useful materials in the technical fields of surface chemistry and biomaterials.
US07732560B2
The present invention relates to terphenyl dihydroxy monomers containing fluorine and fluorinated poly(arylene ether sulfide)s prepared by using the monomers, more particularly, terphenyl dihydroxy monomers containing both two hydroxy functional groups and fluorine and fluorinated poly(arylene ether sulfide)s prepared by an aromatic nucleophilic substitution polymerization (SNAr) using the monomers, which are thus useful as optical materials in the field of information telecommunications.
US07732553B2
A process is provided for producing curable polyorganosiloxanes where noble metal oxides are used as hydrosilylation catalysts. The noble metals can be used in solid granular form or as part of a fixed bed, and do not form part of the final curable composition or cured product. The cured polyorganosiloxanes have increased stability and can be used as encapsulation resins at a temperature far lower than 300° C., have excellent light transmission properties (colorless transparency) in a wavelength region of from ultraviolet light to visible light, light resistance, heat resistance, resistance to moist heat and UV resistance, and do not generate cracks and peeling even in use over a long period of time.
US07732542B2
This invention relates to catalyst compositions, methods, and polymers encompassing at least one Group 4 metallocene compound comprising bridging η5-cyclopentadienyl-type ligands, typically in combination with at least one cocatalyst, and at least one activator. The compositions and methods disclosed herein provide ethylene polymers with low levels of long chain branching.
US07732540B2
A process for producing an olefin copolymerization catalyst, comprising the step of contacting, with one another, (A) a solid catalyst component containing a titanium atom, a magnesium atom and a halogen atom, (B) an organoaluminum compound and/or organoaluminumoxy compound, and (C) a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic compound, whose one or more carbon atoms adjacent to its nitrogen atom are linked to an electron-withdrawing group, or a group containing an electron-withdrawing group; and a process for producing an olefin copolymer using the an olefin copolymerization catalyst.
US07732539B2
A method of producing an acrylic block copolymer comprising hydrophobic poly (lower alkyl methacrylate), hydrophilic poly (lower alkyl methacrylic acid), and hydrophobic poly (lower alkyl methacrylate) is disclosed.
US07732536B2
Compositions which comprise aminofunctional polyorganosiloxanes and additionally polyorganosiloxanes are described which can be prepared by reacting polysiloxanes with Si—H bonds (H-siloxanes) and specific compounds with carbon—carbon multiple bonds. The last-mentioned compounds comprise acrylate units. The compositions are suitable for the treatment of fabrics, to which advantageous properties are hereby imparted.
US07732535B2
A coating for an implantable medical device comprising modified poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol).
US07732532B2
A multistage propylene-based polymer including the following components (A) and (B): (A) 5 to 20 wt % of a propylene homopolymer component or a copolymer component of propylene and an α-olefin with 2 to 8 carbon atoms having an intrinsic viscosity [η] of more than 10 dL/g in tetralin at 135° C.; and (B) 80 to 95 wt % of a propylene homopolymer component or a copolymer component of propylene and an α-olefin with 2 to 8 carbon atoms having an intrinsic viscosity [η] of 0.5 to 3.0 dL/g in tetralin at 135° C.
US07732531B2
The present invention provides a molded article comprising a polytetrafluoroethylene resin (A) and a thermoplastic resin (B) having a melting point of not lower than 100° C. but lower than 322° C., wherein the maximum peak temperature of the endothermic curve appearing on the crystal melting curve of the above polytetrafluoroethylene resin (A) as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter is higher by at least 3° C. than the maximum peak temperature of the endothermic curve appearing on the crystal melting curve of the above polytetrafluoroethylene resin (A) after heating to a temperature of not lower than 340° C. as measured by the differential scanning calorimeter.
US07732527B2
Water-soluble polymers reduced in molecular weight, process for production thereof and usage thereof
The invention relates to water-soluble polymers reduced in molecular weight, a process for production of the same, and usage thereof. It makes it possible to obtain water-soluble polymers reduced in molecular weight by a simple procedure and in an economical and simple manner by subjecting either an aqueous solution admixed with an aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent and containing an amount within the range of 10-60% by mass of a water-soluble polymer and having a viscosity of not lower than 3000 mPa·s or a granular composition admixed or impregnated with an aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent and containing an amount within the range of 10-60% by mass of a water-soluble polymer to oxidation reaction, not by the method of polymerization at elevated temperatures, which is an energy-consuming method, or by the method of polymerization using large amounts of a chain transfer agent and/or an initiator, which is one of the raw materials, and these water-soluble polymer reduced in molecular weight can be used fixing agents for improving the water resistance and/or light fastness of printed matters and, further, the solution viscosity of this water-soluble polymer reduced in molecular weight can be adjusted, hence the handleability thereof, among others, can be adjusted, by incorporating a water-soluble salt and/or a polymer additive in these water-soluble polymers reduced in molecular weight to give compositions comprising the water-soluble polymer reduced in molecular weight.
US07732523B2
An elastomer composition is provided which contains a matrix of poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) produced from microorganisms and crosslinked natural rubber particles dispersed like islands in the matrix. An eraser using the elastomer composition is also provided. The present invention is capable of providing an elastomer composition and eraser using the same, which can be recycled, are friendly to the environment, and corresponds to the recycling society, without relying on fossil resources.
US07732517B2
An organosilicon compound having a structure represented by following general formula: R1: methyl group or ethyl group, R2: a branched or linear, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, n: 0.5˜2.5 (an average composition), R3: a divalent hydrocarbon group of —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, —CH2CH2CH2—, —CH2CH2CH2CH2—, —CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2—, —CH(CH3)—, —CH2CH(CH3)—, —C(CH3)2—, —CH(C2H5)—, —CH2CH2CH(CH3)— or —CH2CH(CH3)CH2—, X: S, S(C═O)—R4, SH or NH(3−p), and R4: a branched or linear, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms. When X═S, p=2 and m=1˜10. When X═S(C═O)—R4, p=1 and m=1. When X═SH, p=1 and m=1. When X═NH(3−p), p=1˜3 and m=1. The organosilicon compound simultaneously suppresses discharge of volatile alcohols generated during the reaction with an inorganic filler and exhibits great reactivity with the inorganic filler.
US07732508B2
The present invention relates to a multicomponent automixable putty impression material, its components, mixtures of the components and a method for obtaining impressions with the multicomponent automixable putty impression material.
US07732505B2
An active energy ray-curable ink composition comprising a colorant, a monomer and a photopolymerization initiator, in which the monomer contains an acrylamide derivative in an amount of 10 to 90% by weight based on the whole weight of the ink composition, and the ink composition has a viscosity of 3 to 35 mPa·s at 25° C. The ink composition has a low viscosity without dilution by a diluent solvent, good storage stability, good pigment dispersibility when a pigment is used as a colorant and also good continuous ejection stability to a printing medium, has a good curing property at a low energy level such as a cumulative amount of light of 150 mJ/cm2 or less, and it can attain good printing quality on nonabsorbable printing medium and achieves good adhesion of printed images to the printing medium.
US07732502B2
A fullerene-based proton conductor including a proton conductive functional group connected to the fullerene by an at least partially fluorinated spacer molecule. Also, a polymer including at least two of the proton conductors that are connected by a linking molecule. Further, an electrochemical device employing the polymer as a proton exchange membrane, whereby the device is able to achieve a self-humidifying characteristic.
US07732500B2
A particulate catalyst comprises an intimate mixture of cobalt and aluminum compounds at an atomic ratio in the range 10:1 to 2:1 (Co:Al), which when reduced at 425° C., has a cobalt surface area as measured by hydrogen chemisorption at 150° C. of at least 30 m2/g of catalyst. The catalyst is prepared by sequential precipitation of cobalt with aluminum ions in the presence of an alkaline precipitation agent. The catalyst may be used for the hydrogenation of unsaturated compounds or the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons.
US07732497B2
A composition formulated to form a non-smooth surface on a substrate surface at least after the composition has been applied to the substrate and has substantially dried or set. The composition including a first and second set of colloidal particles. Each of the first and second sets of colloidal particles includes a plurality of colloidal particles. The first set of colloidal particles can have an average particle size that is greater than the average size of the second set of particles. The number of colloidal particles in the second set of colloidal particles can be greater than the number of colloidal particles in the first set of colloidal particles. One or more of the colloidal particles can be modified to include one or more hydrocarbon chains.
US07732495B2
The invention relates to a process for producing aqueous silica-based sols which comprises providing a cationic ion exchange resin having at least part of its ion exchange capacity in hydrogen form; bringing said ion exchange resin in contact with an aqueous alkali metal silicate to form an aqueous slurry; adjusting the pH of the aqueous slurry and separating the ion exchange resin from the aqueous slurry, as well as the silica-based sols obtained by the process.The invention also relates to silica-based sols obtained by the process, as well as a process for producing paper which comprises providing an aqueous suspension comprising cellulosic fibres; adding to the suspension one or more drainage and retention aids comprising a silica-based sol according to the invention; and dewatering the obtained suspension to provide a sheet or web of paper.
US07732489B2
The invention relates to beneficial topical pharmaceutical compositions comprising diclofenac sodium salt in unusually low amounts. The compositions represent opaque emulsion-gels, in which diclofenac is kept fully dissolved.
US07732487B2
Disclosed is a method for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of a condition or disease responsive to opening of ClC-2 channel, which comprises the step of administrating an effective amount of a ClC-2 channel opener to a subject in need of said treatment. According to the invention, a tissue or organ to be transplanted can also be treated with the ClC-2 channel opener.
US07732484B2
Disclosed is the use of selective adenosine A1 allosteric enhancers to induce angiogenesis at a desired location for treating conditions in which increased angiogenesis is desired, such as stroke, heart disease and peripheral vascular disease.
US07732477B2
The invention relates to novel 2-heteroarylcarboxamides, processes for their preparation, and their use for producing medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases and for improving perception, concentration, learning and/or memory.
US07732476B2
A method of inducing high anti-leukemia activity responsive to the combination of hydroxamic acid analogue histone deacetylase inhibitors and PKC412 against human acute leukemia characterized as expressing phosphorylated (p)FLT3 kinase by a novel flow cytometry-based assay.
US07732474B2
The present invention relates to oral pharmaceutical preparations in the form of pellets in which a benzimidazole compound is stabilized by combining it with microcrystalline cellulose.
US07732472B2
The present invention relates to dihydroisoxazoles that are useful for treating cellular proliferative diseases, for treating disorders associated with KSP kinesin activity, and for inhibiting KSP kinesin. The invention also relates to compositions which comprise these compounds, and methods of using them to treat cancer in mammals.
US07732469B2
The invention relates to a fungicidally active compound of formula (I): where Het is a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three heteroatoms, each independently selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur, the ring being substituted by the groups R6, R7 and R8; R1 is hydrogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, C1-4 haloalkoxy, CH2 C≡CR9, CH2 CR10═CHR11, CH═C═CH2 or COR12; R2 and R3 are each, independently, hydrogen, halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, C1-4 haloalkyl or C1-4 haloalkoxy; R4 and R5 are each independently selected from halo, cyano and nitro; or one of R4 and R5 is hydrogen and the other is selected from halo, cyano and nitro; R6, R7 and R8 are each, independently, hydrogen, halo, cyano, nitro, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxy(C1-4)alkyl, C1-4 haloalkoxy(C1-4)alkyl or C1-4 haloalkoxy, provided that at least one of R6, R7 and R8 is not hydrogen; R9, R10 and R11 are each, independently, hydrogen, halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl or C1-4 alkoxy(C1-4)alkyl; and R12 is hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxy(C1-4)alkyl, C1-4 alkylthio(C1-4)-alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy or aryl; to the preparation of these compounds, to novel intermediates used in the preparation of these compounds, to agrochemical compositions which comprise at least one of the novel compounds as active ingredient, to the preparation of the compositions mentioned and to the use of the active ingredients or compositions in agriculture or horticulture for controlling or preventing infestation of plants by phytopathogenic microorganisms, preferably fungi.
US07732462B2
Behavioral pharmacological data with the compound of formula (I), a novel and selective 5HT2A/2C receptor inverse agonist, demonstrate in vivo efficacy in models of psychosis and dyskinesias. This includes activity in reversing MK-801 induced locomotor behaviors, suggesting that this compound may be an efficacious anti-psychotic, and activity in an MPTP primate model of dyskinesias, suggesting efficacy as an anti-dyskinesia agent. These data support the hypothesis that 5HT2A/2C receptor inverse agonism may confer antipsychotic and anti-dyskinetic efficacy in humans, and indicate a use of the compound of formula (I) and related agents as novel therapeutics for Parkinson's Disease, related human neurodegenerative diseases, and psychosis.
US07732461B2
Tricyclic nitrogen containing compounds of formula (I) and their use as antibacterials.
US07732459B2
The invention provides compounds having the formula: wherein R1 is halogen. The invention also provides compositions comprising the compounds, and methods of treating diseases or disorders that comprise administering one or more of the compounds to a subject in need thereof. The disclosed compounds have CCR1 antagonist activity.
US07732458B2
A method for preparing dehydrocavidine, dehydroapocavidine and their respective composition is provided. The composition is first prepared by isolating and purifying the quaternary ammonium alkaloid components from the medicinal plant “Yan Huang Lian” (Corydalis saxicola Bunting) through the processes of solvent extraction, water-phase organic extraction, crystallization and recrystallization, and then drying to obtain said composition containing dehydrocavidine and dehydroapocavine. When necessary, the composition or their crude extracts can be separated by chromatography to obtain dehydrocavidine or dehydroapocavidine. Dehydrocavidine, dehydroapocavidine or their respective composition can be used in manufacturing medicines for treating viral hepatitis, hepatic injury, influenza, AIDS, tumors or arrhythmia.
US07732452B2
The invention is concerned with novel substituted thiophene derivatives of formula (I) wherein R1 to R8, X, m and n are as defined in the description and in the claims, as well as physiologically acceptable salts and esters thereof. These compounds are HM74A agonists and can be used as medicaments.
US07732451B2
A method of modulating energy homeostasis in a mammal without eliciting a sexual response by administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including a melanocortin receptor compound of the formula: where R1 is a bond or a linker unit including from one to six backbone atoms and an unsubstituted naphthalene group, and L, R2, R3 and Rx are as defined in the specification.
US07732447B2
The present invention is directed to fused [d]pyridazin-7-ones. The invention is also directed to methods for making and using the fused [d]pyridazin-7-ones. In particular, the compounds of the present invention may be effective in the treatment of diseases or disease states related to the activity of VEGFR2, MLK1 and CDK5 enzymes, including, for example, angiogenic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
US07732446B1
Compounds, pharmaceuticals, kits and methods are provided for use with DPP-IV inhibitors comprising Formulae: where the substituents are as described herein.
US07732437B2
The invention concerns a novel histamine receptor antagonist and the use of an histamine receptor antagonist for the reduction of intracranial pressure (ICP), in particular for the prevention and treatment of elevated intracranial pressure and/or secondary ischaemida, in particular caused by brain injury, more in particular caused by traumatic (TBI) and non-traumatic brain injury. The novel compounds comprise compounds according to the general Formula (I) the pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salts thereof, the stereochemically isomeric forms thereof and the N-oxide form thereof. In particular, the preferred compound is 3-[2-[4-(11,12-dihydro-6H-benzimidazo[2,1-b][3]benzazepin-6-yl)-2-(phenyl-methyl)-1-piperidinyl]ethyl]-2,10-dimethyl pyrimido[1,2-α]benzimidazol-4(10H)-one, the pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salts thereof, the stereochemically isomeric forms thereof and the N-oxide form thereof. Also claimed is the novel use of commercially available histamine H1-and H2-receptor antagonists for the reduction of intracranial pressure (ICP).
US07732433B2
The invention relates to an aqueous solution containing at least one species selected from the group consisting of a 1:1 molar complex of TeO2 with a moiety of formula (A) and ammonium salts thereof: HO—X—OH (A); where X is an optionally substituted divalent saturated hydrocarbon group containing 2-8 carbon atoms in the chain connecting the two OH groups; and its use for stimulating cells to produce cytokines and for treating mammalian diseases and conditions responsive to increased production of cytokines. The complex may be used also for treating mammalian cancer which is not responsive to increased production of cytokines.
US07732427B2
The present invention relates to a biologically active functionalized electrospun matrix to permit immobilization and long-term delivery of biologically active agents. In particular the invention relates to a functionalized polymer matrix comprising a matrix polymer, a compatibilizing polymer and a biomolecule or other small functioning molecule. In certain aspects the electrospun polymer fibers comprise at least one biologically active molecule functionalized with low molecular weight heparin. Examples of active molecules that may be used with the multicomponent polymer of the invention include, for example, a drug, a biopolymer, for example a growth factor, a protein, a peptide, a nucleotide, a polysaccharide, a biological macromolecule or the like. The invention is further directed to the formation of functionalized crosslinked matrices, such as hydrogels, that include at least one functionalized compatibilizing polymer capable of assembly.
US07732421B2
RNA interference is provided for inhibition of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) by silencing TNFα cell surface receptor TNF receptor-1 (TNFR1) mRNA expression, or by silencing TNFα converting enzyme (TACE/ADAM17) mRNA expression. Silencing such TNFα targets, in particular, is useful for treating patients having a TNFα-related condition or at risk of developing a TNFα-related condition such as the ocular conditions dry eye, allergic conjunctivitis, or ocular inflammation, or such as dermatitis, rhinitis, or asthma, for example.
US07732420B2
The present invention provides optimized transfection reagents comprising mixtures of cationiclipoids. In particular, the present invention provides DNA delivery vehicles based on identifying the optimal hydrophobicity of novel cationic phospholipid derivatives that, alone or in combination, form complexes with DNA (lipoplexes) and exhibit enhanced transfection activity.
US07732416B2
What is described are a compound of the formula in which R1 is C1-C12alkyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl or C2-C12alkenyl; R2 is H, unsubstituted or mono- to pentasubstituted C1-C12alkyl or unsubstituted or mono- to pentasubstituted C1-C12alkenyl; R3 is C2-C12alkyl, mono- to pentasubstituted C1-C12alkyl, unsubstituted or mono- to pentasubstituted C1-C6alkoxy-C1-C6alkyl, unsubstituted or mono- to pentasubstituted C3-C12cycloalkyl, C2-C12alkenyl, C2-C12alkynyl; or R2 and R3 together are an alkylene or alkenylene bridge; with the proviso that R1 is not sec-butyl or isopropyl if R2 is H and R3 is 2-hydroxyethyl, isopropyl, n-octyl or benzyl; or, if appropriate, in E/Z isomer, an E/Z isomer mixture and/or a tautomer thereof; a process for preparing and using these compounds and their tautomers; pesticides whose active compound is selected from these compounds and their tautomers; and a process for preparing these compounds and compositions, and the use of these compounds and compositions.
US07732413B2
The present invention provides compounds represented by the structural formula (I): or pharmaceutically acceptable isomers, salts, solvates or esters of the compound of Formula (I), wherein each of the substituents is as specified herein, formulations including the above compounds, processes for preparing the same and methods for treating atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, or sitosterolemia, and for lowering plasma levels of sterols and/or stanols.
US07732411B2
The present invention relates to a method for promoting cardiac tissue repair comprising administering to the cardiac tissue a therapeutically effective amount of an angiogenic thrombin derivative peptide and/or inhibiting or reducing vascular occlusion or restenosis. The invention also relates to methods of stimulating revascularization. In yet another embodiment, the invention relates to the use of thrombin derivative peptides in the manufacture of a medicament for the methods described herein.
US07732403B2
The invention provides a method of treating T-cell mediated diseases and a method of inhibiting the activation of T-cells using certain diketopiperazines. The invention also provides methods of synthesizing diketopiperazines and pharmaceutical compositions comprising certain diketopiperazines. The invention further provides methods of making improved pharmaceutical compositions of proteins and peptides by either increasing or decreasing the content of diketopiperazines in the compositions and the resultant improved pharmaceutical compositions.
US07732383B2
A process for preparing a stable zirconium triethanolamine cross-linking agent comprises contacting a solution of a zirconium triethanolamine complex with water at a temperature of 50° C. to 90° C. at a mole ratio of triethanolamine:zirconium in the range of 3.5:5.5 and at a mole ratio of water:zirconium in the range of 20:1 to 1:1. The stable zirconium triethanolamine complex can be used in a cross-linking composition. Further disclosed are methods to use the composition in oil field applications for hydraulic fracturing and plugging of permeable zones and leaks in subterranean formations.
US07732376B2
The present invention relates to a method of preparing an oxide superconducting film, the method includes reacting a metal acetate containing metal M selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, neodymium and samarium with fluorocarboxylic acid having not less than three carbon atoms, reacting barium acetate with fluorocarboxylic acid having two carbon atoms, reacting copper acetate with fluorocarboxylic acid having not less than two carbon atoms, respectively, followed by refining reaction products, dissolving the reaction products in methanol such that a molar ratio of the metal M, barium and copper is 1:2:3 to prepare a coating solution, and coating a substrate with the coating solution to form a gel film, followed by calcining and firing the gel film to prepare an oxide superconducting film.
US07732370B2
A catalyst including cobalt, zinc oxide and aluminium is described, having a total cobalt content of 15-75% by weight (on reduced catalyst), an aluminium content ≧10% by weight (based on ZnO) and which when reduced at 425° C., has a cobalt surface area as measured by hydrogen chemisorption at 150° C. of at least 20 m2/g cobalt. A method for preparing the catalyst is also described including combining a solution of cobalt, zinc and aluminium with an alkaline solution to effect co-precipitation of a cobalt-zinc-aluminium composition from the combined solutions, separating of the co-precipitated composition form the combined solutions, heating the composition to form an oxide composition, and optionally reducing at least a portion of the cobalt to cobalt metal. The catalysts may be used for hydrogenation reactions and for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons.
US07732369B2
The invention describes the production of a catalyst for use in the oxidation and selective reduction with properties resembling the catalytic property of the noble metal catalysts, by formation of a crystal surface on catalyst supports from a synthesis crystal of the elements of the rare earths and the metal components cobalt and/or lanthanum produced in multiple stages.
US07732365B2
The present invention is directed to a catalyst composition, comprising: (1) a catalyst precursor having the general structure MSXn wherein M is a transition metal selected from the group consisting of iridium, molybdenum, and tungsten; S is a coordinating ligand; X is a counterion; and n is an integer from 0 to 5; and (2) a phosphoramidite ligand having the structure wherein O—Cn—O is an aliphatic or aromatic diolate and wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted aryl groups, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl groups, substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic groups, and combinations thereof, with the proviso that at least one of R1, R2, R3, or R4 must be a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl group. The present invention is also directed to activated catalysts made from the above catalyst composition, as well as methods of allylic amination and etherification using the above catalysts.
US07732359B2
An optical member comprising OD-doped silica glass, optionally doped with fluorine. The optical member is particularly advantageous for use in connection with radiation having a wavelength shorter than about 248 nm. In certain embodiments the optical member can be advantageously used for wavelength as short as about 157 nm.
US07732349B2
The invention provides a manufacturing method of an insulating film having a plurality of pores, as well as a manufacturing method of a highly integrated semiconductor device with high yield. According to the invention, a porous insulating film is formed by forming a plurality of pores in an interlayer insulating film using a laser beam, which results in lower dielectric constant of the interlayer insulating film. In addition, a composition containing conductive particles is discharged onto the porous insulating film by a droplet discharge method typified by an ink jet printing method, and then baked to form a wire. As the laser beam, an ultrashort pulse laser beam is preferably used.
US07732343B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises patterning a layer of photoresist material to form a plurality of mandrels. The method further comprises depositing an oxide material over the plurality of mandrels by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method further comprises anisotropically etching the oxide material from exposed horizontal surfaces. The method further comprises selectively etching photoresist material.
US07732340B2
A method for adjusting the lateral critical dimension (i.e., length and width) of a feature formed in a layer on a substrate using a dry etching process. One or more thin intermediate sub-layers are inserted in the layer within which the feature is to be formed. Once an intermediate sub-layer is reached during the etching process, an etch process is performed to correct and/or adjust the lateral critical dimensions before etching through the intermediate sub-layer and continuing the layer etch.
US07732337B2
A method for manufacturing a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure is provided. In the method, a substrate is initially provided. Then, a patterned pad layer and a patterned mask layer are successively formed in order on the substrate. After that, a portion of the substrate is removed by using the patterned mask layer and the patterned pad layer as a mask to form trenches in the substrate. Next, a first insulation layer is formed in the trenches. Afterwards, a protection layer is conformally formed on the substrate. Then, a second insulation layer is formed on the protection layer above the first insulation layer. Next, the patterned mask layer and the patterned pad layer are removed. Finally, a portion of the protection layer and the second insulation layer are removed.
US07732327B2
Embodiments of the invention provide an improved process for depositing tungsten-containing materials. The process utilizes soak processes and vapor deposition processes to provide tungsten films having significantly improved surface uniformity while increasing the production level throughput. In one embodiment, a method is provided which includes depositing a tungsten silicide layer on the substrate by exposing the substrate to a continuous flow of a silicon precursor while also exposing the substrate to intermittent pulses of a tungsten precursor. The method further provides that the substrate is exposed to the silicon and tungsten precursors which have a silicon/tungsten precursor flow rate ratio of greater than 1, for example, about 2, about 3, or greater. Subsequently, the method provides depositing a tungsten nitride layer on the tungsten suicide layer, depositing a tungsten nucleation layer on the tungsten nitride layer, and depositing a tungsten bulk layer on the tungsten nucleation layer.
US07732324B2
One aspect of the invention provides a method of forming a semiconductor device (100). One aspect includes forming transistors (120, 125) on a semiconductor substrate (105), forming a first interlevel dielectric layer (165) over the transistors (120, 125), and forming metal interconnects (170, 175) within the first interlevel dielectric layer (165). A carbon-containing gas is used to form a silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) layer (180) over the metal interconnects (170, 175) and the first interlevel dielectric layer (165) within a deposition tool. An adhesion layer (185) is formed on the SiCN layer (180), within the deposition tool, by discontinuing a flow of the carbon-containing gas within the deposition chamber. A second interlevel dielectric layer (190) is formed over the adhesion layer (185).
US07732317B2
Methods of forming a cell of a NOR-type flash memory device are provided in which a first gate pattern having a first sidewall and a second gate pattern having a second sidewall that opposes the first sidewall are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A source/drain region is formed in the semiconductor substrate between the first and second gate patterns. An etch stop layer is formed on the first and second sidewalls that defines a gap region. A dielectric layer is formed in the gap region, and is then etched to form a contact hole. Finally, a conductive material is deposited in the contact hole.
US07732315B2
Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices and structures thereof are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor wafer, forming a first insulating material over the semiconductor wafer, and forming a plurality of first features and a plurality of second features in the first insulating material. The plurality of first features is removed, leaving an unfilled pattern in the first insulating material. The unfilled pattern in the first insulating material is filled with a second insulating material.
US07732313B2
A method for making a transistor 20 that includes using a transition metal nitride layer 200 and/or a SOG layer 220 to protect the source/drain regions 60 from silicidation during the silicidation of the gate electrode 90. The SOG layer 210 is planarized to expose the transition metal nitride layer 200 or the gate electrode 93 before the gate silicidation process. If a transition metal nitride layer 200 is used, then it is removed from the top of the gate electrode 93 before the full silicidation of the gate electrode 90.
US07732308B2
The invention relates to a method for depositing at least one semiconductor layer on at least one substrate in a processing chamber (2). Said semiconductor layer is composed of several components which are evaporated by non-continuously injecting a liquid starting material (3) or a starting material (3) dissolved in a liquid into a tempered evaporation chamber (4) with the aid of one respective injector unit (5) while said vapor is fed to the processing chamber by means of a carrier gas (7). The inventive method is characterized in that the mass flow rate parameters, such as the preliminary injection pressure, the injection frequency, the pulse/pause ratio, and the phase relation between the pulses/pauses and the pulses/pauses of the other injector unit(s), which determine the progress of the mass flow rate of a first silicon-containing starting material and a germanium-containing second starting material (3) through the associated injector unit (5), are individually adjusted or varied.
US07732284B1
A method for fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit (IC) includes the step of providing a substrate having a semiconductor surface. A gate stack including a metal gate electrode on a metal including high-k dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor surface. Dry etching is used to pattern the gate stack to define a patterned gate electrode stack having exposed sidewalls of the metal gate electrode. The dry etching forms post etch residuals some of which are deposited on the substrate. The substrate including the patterned gate electrode stack is exposed to a solution cleaning sequence including a first clean step including a first acid and a fluoride for removing at least a portion of the post etch residuals, wherein the first clean step has a high selectivity to avoid etching the exposed sidewalls of the metal gate electrode. A second clean after the first clean consists essentially of a fluoride which removes residual high-k material on the semiconductor surface.
US07732283B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. Spacers can be formed on adjacent gate structures and used as an ion implantation mask for forming source/drain regions. The spacers can include a nitride layer and an oxide layer. An etch stop layer can be provided between the gate structures, and the oxide layer can be removed from the spacers. A first oxide layer formed below the nitride layer can be protected from being etched away during removal of the oxide layer from the spacers by the etch stop layer. The etch stop layer and the first oxide layer can be removed, and an interlayer dielectric layer can be deposited.
US07732280B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device having an offset spacer may include forming a gate electrode on a semiconductor substrate. An etch stop layer including a nitride may be formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate having the gate electrode. First spacers may be formed on the sidewalls of the gate electrode. The first spacers may be formed of a material layer having an etch selectivity with respect to the etch stop layer. The etch stop layer may be exposed on the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate electrode. Lightly-doped drain (LDD) regions may be formed in the semiconductor substrate using the gate electrode and the first spacers as an ion implantation mask. Second spacers may be formed on the first spacers. Accordingly, a semiconductor device having an offset spacer may be provided.
US07732275B2
A string of nonvolatile memory cells connected in series includes fixed charges located between floating gates and the underlying substrate surface. Such a fixed charge affects distribution of charge carriers in an underlying portion of the substrate and thus affects threshold voltage of a device. A fixed charge layer may extend over source/drain regions also.
US07732271B2
According to this invention, there is provided a NAND-type semiconductor storage device including a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a buried insulating film selectively formed between the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor layer in a memory transistor formation region, diffusion layers formed on the semiconductor layer in the memory transistor formation region, floating body regions between the diffusion layers, a first insulating film formed on each of the floating body regions, a floating gate electrode formed on the first insulating film, a control electrode on a second insulating film formed on the floating gate electrode, and contact plugs connected to ones of the pairs of diffusion layers which are respectively located at ends of the memory transistor formation region, wherein the ones of the pairs of diffusion layers, which are located at the ends of the memory transistor formation region, are connected to the semiconductor substrate below the contact plugs.
US07732261B2
In a memory cell array on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode for accumulating charges for information is arranged. The floating gate electrode is covered with a cap insulating film and a pattern of a first insulating film formed thereon. Further, over the entire main surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second insulating film is deposited so that it covers the pattern of the first insulating film and a gate electrode. The second insulating film is formed by a silicon nitride film formed by a plasma CVD method. The first insulating film is formed by a silicon nitride film formed by a low-pressure CVD method. By the provision of such a first insulating film, it is possible to suppress or prevent water or hydrogen ions from diffusing to the floating gate electrode, and therefore, the data retention characteristics of a flash memory can be improved.
US07732259B2
A method to assemble a non-leaded semiconductor package is disclosed. In one embodiment, a carrier tape is attached to a metal foil. A plurality of leadframes are formed in the metal foil, each leadframe including a die pad laterally surrounded by a plurality of contact leads. A semiconductor die, including an active surface with a plurality of die contact pads, is attached to each die attach pad and electrically connected to the leadframe by a plurality of bond wires connecting the die contact pads and the lead contact areas of the contact leads. A plurality of leadframes, each including a wire bonded semiconductor die, are encapsulated with mold material. The carrier tape is removed and the non-leaded semiconductor packages separated.
US07732255B2
In a flip shop mounting method by a no-flow underfill in which resin is pre-coated on a substrate 52, and, thereafter, a semiconductor 50 with bump is mounted on the substrate 52 to join a pad electrode 53 on the substrate 52 to the bump 51, a resin 54a highly filed with the filler 55 is applied to a region except for the pad electrode 53 on the substrate 52, a resin 54b being free from the filler is applied to a pad electrode 53 portion on the substrate 52, and, thereafter, the semiconductor 50 with bump is mounted at a predetermined position on the substrate 52.
US07732250B2
A method of forming a structure in a phase changeable memory cell can include forming a bottom electrode having an interlayer dielectric layer thereon, the bottom electrode having a recess therein that extends beyond a boundary between the bottom electrode and the interlayer dielectric. A phase changeable layer can be formed in the recess including a protruding potion of the phase changeable layer that protrudes into the bottom electrode beyond the boundary.
US07732244B2
A method for forming a light-transmitting region comprises providing a support feature. A sacrificial layer is formed over a portion of the support feature, wherein the sacrificial layer comprises an energy-induced swelling material. A light-blocking layer is conformably formed over the support feature to cover the sacrificial layer and the support feature. The support feature, the sacrificial layer, and the light-blocking layer are subjected to an energy source to swell the sacrificial layer until bursting to thereby delaminate a portion of the light-blocking layer from the support feature and leave a light-transmitting region exposed with a portion of the support feature in the light-blocking layer. A gas flow or scrub cleaning force is provided to clean up the light-transmitting region and a top surface of the light-blocking layer remains over the support feature.
US07732243B2
This invention comprises manufacture of photovoltaic cells by deposition of thin film photovoltaic junctions on metal foil substrates. The photovoltaic junctions may be heat treated if appropriate following deposition in a continuous fashion without deterioration of the metal support structure. In a separate operation, an interconnection substrate structure is provided, optionally in a continuous fashion. Multiple photovoltaic cells are then laminated to the interconnection substrate structure and conductive joining methods are employed to complete the array. In this way the interconnection substrate structure can be uniquely formulated from polymer-based materials employing optimal processing unique to polymeric materials. Furthermore, the photovoltaic junction and its metal foil support can be produced in bulk without the need to use the expensive and intricate material removal operations currently taught in the art to achieve series interconnections.
US07732234B2
A method of fabricating a package with a light emitting device includes depositing a first metallization to form a conductive pad on which the light emitting device is to be mounted and to form one or more feed-through interconnections extending through a semiconductor material that supports the conductive pad. Subsequently, a second metallization is deposited to form a reflective surface for reflecting light, emitted by the light emitting device, through a lid of the package. Deposition of the second metallization is de-coupled from deposition of the first metallization.
US07732223B2
A magnetic memory device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The magnetic memory device can include a word line, a freely switchable layer, a fixed layer, a dielectric layer, and a bit line. The freely switchable layer can be electrically connected to a diffusion region at one side of the word line, and the fixed layer can be horizontally adjacent to the freely switchable layer. The dielectric layer can be provided between the freely switchable layer and the fixed layer, and the bit line can be electrically connected to the fixed layer.
US07732220B2
Disclosed is a method of analysis of a mixture of biological and/or chemical components that entails spatially arranging a chosen component attached to magnetic particles, exposing the particles to a magnetic field, and recording a magnetic induction signal, from which the content of the analyte in the mixture is judged; this includes grouping the chosen component in a probe volume, making the magnetic field alternating, pre-setting its spectrum, at least, at two frequencies, and recording the signal at a frequency, which is a linear combination of these frequencies, during the exposure of the magnetic particles to the field.
US07732218B2
There is provided a method for preparing an analytical standard used for microbeam X-ray fluorescence analysis which includes: a mixing step in which an element is added to a base material, and the base material and the element are mixed by stirring to obtain a mixed solution; a deaeration step in which the mixed solution is deaerated; a freeze step in which the mixed solution is slowly frozen; and a cutting step in which a thin section is cut out from the frozen mixed solution. In order to surely remove bubbles from the mixed solution, the deaeration step may contain a stationary step in which the mixed solution is allowed to stand still at room temperature; or the stationary step includes a removal step in which gas contained in the mixed solution which is allowed to stand still is removed with a suction apparatus.
US07732215B2
The present invention relates to a cyanide detection method using fluorescence and cyanide sensitive boronic acid containing fluorophores, wherein a change in a measured fluorescent property correlates to the concentration of the cyanide compound in a biological or environmental test sample.
US07732213B2
A hemostasis analyzer, such as the Thrombelastograph® (TEG®) hemostasis analyzer is utilized to measure continuously in real time, the hemostasis process from the initial fibrin formation, through platelet-fibrin interaction and lysis to generate blood hemostasis parameters. The measured blood hemostasis parameters permit evaluation of a patient hemostasis condition.
US07732206B2
The invention relates to methods and reagents for promoting the differentiation of oligodendrocytes from stem cells, by co-activating the Olig genes and the Nkx2.2 genes, and the use of the differentiated oligodendrocytes thus obtained in treating diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The invention also relates to the use of OLPs and oligodendrocytes thus obtained for drug screening.
US07732202B2
Methods of producing human stem cells are disclosed for parthenogenetically activating human oocytes by manipulation of O2 tension, including manipulation of Ca2+ under high O2 tension and contacting oocytes with serine threonine kinase inhibitors under low O2 tension, isolating inner cell masses (ICMs) from the activated oocytes, and culturing the cells of the isolated ICMs under high O2 tension. Moreover, methods are described for the production of stems cells from activated oocytes in the absence of non-human animal products, including the use of human feeder cells/products for culturing ICM/stem cells. Stem cells produced by the disclosed methods are also described.
US07732196B2
Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for treatment of conditions requiring inhibition of angiogenesis. Such conditions include those characterized by neovascularization, such as retinopathies, macular degeneration and various malignancies.
US07732182B2
The invention provides isolated nucleic acids molecules, designated 25869, 25934, 26335, 50365, 21117, 38692, 46508, 16816, 16839, 49937, 49931 and 49933 nucleic acid molecules. The invention also provides antisense nucleic acid molecules, recombinant expression vectors containing 25869, 25934, 26335, 50365, 21117, 38692, 46508, 16816, 16839, 49937, 49931 or 49933 nucleic acid molecules, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced, and nonhuman transgenic animals in which a 25869, 25934, 26335, 50365, 21117, 38692, 46508, 16816, 16839, 49937, 49931 or 49933 gene has been introduced or disrupted. The invention still further provides isolated 25869, 25934, 26335, 50365, 21117, 38692, 46508, 16816, 16839, 49937, 49931 or 49933 proteins, fusion proteins, antigenic peptides and anti-25869, 25934, 26335, 50365, 21117, 38692, 46508, 16816, 16839, 49937, 49931 or 49933 antibodies. Diagnostic and therapeutic methods utilizing compositions of the invention are also provided.
US07732174B2
A method of using sequential chemostat culture vessels to provide continuous H2 production, in which photosynthetic O2 evolution and H2 photoproduction are separated physically into two separate bioreactors, comprising: a) growing a microorganism culture able to continuously generate H2 by photosynthetically producing cells at about the early-to-late log state in a first photobioreactor operating as a sulfur chemostat under aerobic and/or conditions; b) continuously feeding cells from the first photobioreactor to a second photobioreactor operating under anaerobic conditions and sulfur deprivation conditions resulting from constant uptake of sulfate in the first bioreactor and a low rate of culture flow between the first and second bioreactors, for induction of hydrogenase and H2 photoproduction to allow for continuous cultivation of the microorganism's cells in the first photobioreactor and constant H2 production in the second photobioreactor, and c) H2 gas from the second photobioreactor.
US07732157B1
The present invention relates to the discovery of soluble isoforms of an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, or sErbB 1/HER1 variants, the provision of the sequences of nucleic acids encoding these isoforms, purified recombinant proteins, novel antibodies specific for these isoforms, and the use of immunoassay and gene expression assay techniques to measure the concentration of these gene products in a patient biological sample. The present invention also provides methods for determining the presence of an ovarian carcinoma in the patient by assaying the concentration of soluble EGFR/ErbB1 variants in a biological sample from a patient.
US07732147B2
There is disclosed a method for diagnosing neurotransmission or developmental disorders in a mammal comprising the step of detecting in a bodily fluid of said mammal autoantibodies to an epitope of the muscle specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK). One such method comprises a) contacting said bodily fluid with said MuSK or an antigenic determinant thereof; and b) detecting any antibody-antigen complexes formed between said receptor tyrosine kinase or an antigenic fragment thereof and antibodies present in said bodily fluid, wherein the presence of said complexes is indicative of said mammal suffering from said neurotransmission or developmental disorders. Also disclosed are kits for use in the diagnosis of neurotransmission and subsequent developmental disorders.
US07732139B2
A multiple single nucleotide polymorphism (multi-SNP) marker for cardiovascular disease diagnosis and a method of diagnosing cardiovascular disease are provided. Also, sets of polynucleotides, a microarray, and a kit including the microarray are provided.
US07732134B2
This invention provides methods to predict the degree of elevation of serum cholesterol levels in patients treated with immunosuppressive medication. This invention also provides treatment strategies based on these predictions and kits to carry out these methods.
US07732132B2
The invention is an assay for detection of Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV)-serogroup tospoviruses using a monoclonal antibody and a method for preparing the monoclonal antibody. A hybridoma cell line that produces a monoclonal antibody against the NSs proteins of WSMoV-serogroup tospoviruses was produced. The hybridoma cell line produces a monoclonal antibody binding with peptide SEQ ID No. 19.
US07732128B2
Methods and kits for detecting the presence of ATP, for measuring ATP concentrations, and for detecting viable cells using a composition comprising an ATP-dependent enzyme and one or more ATPase inhibitors.
US07732109B2
A method for improving critical dimension uniformity of a wafer includes exposing a plurality of mask patterns on a first plurality of substrates at predetermined locations with common splits conditions of focus and exposure dose for each of the first plurality of substrates to form a plurality of perturbed wafers; measuring a critical dimension of the plurality of mask patterns at each of the predetermined locations for each of the plurality of perturbed wafers; averaging the critical dimension measured at each of the predetermined locations over the plurality of perturbed wafers to form a perturbed critical dimension map; measuring a sidewall angle of the plurality of mask patterns; averaging the sidewall angle measured to form a perturbed sidewall angle map; and providing the perturbed critical dimension map and the perturbed sidewall angle map to an exposure tool.
US07732104B2
The present technology relates generally to laser ablation, and more particularly pertains to a system and method for eliminating structure and edge roughness, which is produced during the laser ablation of a material. Ablation of materials using a femtosecond laser beam produces a fine scale periodic structure in the ablated region. The structure consists of residual (i.e. unablated material) and is always perpendicular to the polarization direction of the laser beam. By changing the polarization direction during the ablation process, the structure is averaged over many directions and thus eliminated. This eliminates structure and edge roughness in a material caused by the laser ablation of the material. The method is employed to the repairing of photomasks so as to cause the optical quality thereof to be improved.
US07732102B2
A photolithographic mask is adapted for use in imparting a pattern to a substrate. The pattern comprises a plurality of features. At least one of the plurality of features (201) is implemented in the mask as a phase shifting structure (205) with a unitary layer of opaque material (207) disposed thereon. The mask is utilized to impart the pattern to a layer over a semiconductor substrate.
US07732101B2
In a method of producing a glass substrate for a mask blank, a surface of the glass substrate is polished by the use of an alkaline polishing liquid that contains colloidal silica abrasive grains, from which alkali metal is removed to suppress occurrence of an alkali metal gel substance protrusion adhered on the glass substrate. The polishing process may include a surface roughness control step for initially finishing the surface of the glass substrate to a predetermined surface roughness by moving a polishing member and the glass substrate relative to each other under a predetermined pressure. This may be followed by a protrusion suppressing step under a pressure lower than the predetermined pressure, to minimize polishing rate and suppress occurrence of a fine convex protrusion.
US07732100B2
The invention provides a novel lithium-ion battery electrolyte which is produced by adding an aluminate ester compound as a plasticizer in a solid polymer electrolyte. The lithium-ion battery solid polymer electrolyte of the present invention comprises a lithium ion source, an organic polymer compound, and one or more kinds of aluminate ester compounds represented by the general formula where R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent a straight-chain or branched-chain lower alkyl group having one to eight carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having three to six carbon atoms, acryloyl, or methacryloyl; OA1, OA2, and OA3 each independently represent an oxyalkylene group having two to four carbon atoms; l represents a number from 1 to 100; and m and n each independently represent a number from 0 to 100.
US07732097B2
A battery capable of improving cycle characteristics is provided. A cathode contains an oxide containing lithium and manganese such as Li4Mn5O12 as a cathode material. An anode contains a carbon material as and anode material. The weight ratio of the cathode material to the anode material is in the range from 2.03 to 2.53. The electrical capacity ratio of the cathode to the anode is in the range from 0.8 to 1.0. The open circuit voltage in full charge state per a pair of cathode and anode is from 2.9 V to 3.2 V.
US07732090B2
A sealed rectangular battery having a reliably operative explosion-proof valve is provided. A rectangular battery case 1 whose cross-section is oblong, the battery case having a prismatic shaped case body 5 with a bottom and a lid 6. An explosion-proof valve 2 is arranged near one of two opposing short sides of a main surface wall of the lid. The explosion-proof valve a V-cut groove 15 concavely formed in V-shaped or U-shaped in which a central bent part 15a is positioned at a central location in the main surface wall 6a of the lid, and a thin wall 16 formed by the V-cut groove. Cut grooves 18 connecting each of two ends of the V-cut groove and each of two long sides of the main surface wall of the lid which are parallel to each other, respectively, are cut and formed in the main surface wall of the lid.
US07732085B2
A fuel cell device includes at least one and preferably two gas storage chambers, the gas storage chambers being connected via gas flow channels to a fuel cell membrane, such as a proton exchange membrane. A piston in each gas storage chamber moves to compress the gas upon being subject to an acceleration force. A flow control opens upon a predetermined condition being achieved to provide the compressed gases to a fuel cell membrane.
US07732083B2
A gas diffusion layer incorporating a gasket (GIG) is described along with assemblies incorporating the GIG subassembly. Processes for making the GIG and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) incorporating the GIG are also described. A GIG subassembly includes a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and a gasket bonded to the GDL. The gasket includes a first gasket layer and a second gasket layer. The second gasket layer is formed of a gasket material in contact with the first gasket layer and the GDL. The gasket material of the second gasket layer bonds the GDL to the first gasket layer. An adhesive layer, and optionally a removable adhesive liner, is disposed on a surface of the first gasket layer opposite the second gasket layer. In some MEA configurations, the GDL is disposed within an aperture in the first gasket layer.
US07732077B2
According to one embodiment, a polymer electrolyte medium is represented by the following general formula (I) where R is sulfonic acid or phosphoric acid, and n is an integer from 1 to 8000.
US07732076B2
This invention relates to a solid oxide fuel cell system comprising at least one longitudinally extending tubular solid oxide fuel cell and a longitudinally extending heater mounted in thermal proximity to the fuel cell to provide heat to the fuel cell during start up and during operation as needed. The heater and fuel cell can be encased within a tubular thermal casing; the inside of the casing defines a first reactant chamber for containing a first reactant, such as oxidant. The fuel cell comprises a ceramic solid state electrolyte layer and inner and outer electrode layers concentrically arranged around and sandwiching the electrolyte layer. The outer electrode layer is fluidly communicable with the first reactant, and the inner electrode layer is fluidly isolated from the first reactant and fluidly communicable with a second reactant, such as fuel.
US07732072B2
Disclosed is a rechargeable battery including: a bare cell composed of an electrode assembly including a negative electrode, a separator and a positive electrode, a container for housing the electrode assembly and an electrolyte, and a cap assembly for closing an opening of the container; and a safety device electrically coupled to an outer surface of the bare cell, wherein the safety device is coupled to the bare cell by being incorporated into a battery component part, and each of bonding surfaces of the bare cell and the battery component to be bonded to each other has a bonding parts capable of forming a mechanical bonding between the bare cell and the battery component. The rechargeable battery permits a safety device such as a protective circuit board and a bimetal device to be coupled to a bare cell in a stable and simple manner. Additionally, the mechanical bonding parts between the safety device and the bare cell can be separated so that the safety device such as a protective circuit board can be reused.
US07732068B2
Aluminum alloy products comprising an aluminum alloy base and a sulfate-phosphate oxide zone integral therewith are disclosed. Methods of making the same are also disclosed.
US07732067B2
This invention disclosure describes methods for the fabrication of metal oxide films on surfaces by topotactic anion exchange, and laminate structures enabled by the method. A precursor metal-nonmetal film is deposited on the surface, and is subsequently oxidized via topotactic anion exchange to yield a topotactic metal-oxide product film. The structures include a metal-oxide layer(s) and/or a metal-nonmetal layer(s).
US07732060B2
A gaseous component treatment sheet of the present invention has a gas-permeable base film and a particulate remover for removing a predetermined gaseous component, and the particulate remover is dispersed in the base film. A protective layer and/or an adhesive layer can be laminated further on the base film. Since the gaseous component treatment sheet is a sheet-like member including the base film for holding the particulate remover, the size and the shape can be adjusted easily.
US07732052B2
This invention relates to polyolefin compositions. In particular, the invention pertains to elastic polymer compositions that can be more easily processed on cast film lines, extrusion lamination or coating lines due to improved resistance to draw resonance. The compositions of the present invention preferably comprise an elastomeric polyolefin resin and a high pressure low density type resin.
US07732047B2
A fiber size composition contains a modified polyolefin, a hydrophilic coupling agent, a boron-containing, fluorine-containing compound, a blend of at least two fatty acids and a compound selected from phosphorus(V) compounds and sulfur(VI) compounds, the fiber size composition being substantially free of conventional lower oxidation state antioxidants and optical brighteners. Composite materials produced from reinforcing fiber materials sized with a fiber size composition according to the invention exhibit improved properties such as, for example, increased strength and/or improved color stability.
US07732030B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention a method of creating a composite with an object having a central axis is provided which comprises wrapping a first fabric layer around the object in one of a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction around the central axis of the object. A second fabric layer is wrapped over the first fabric layer. The second fabric layer is wrapped around the object in the other of the clockwise or the counterclockwise direction around the central axis. The object is placed in a mold and resin is injected into the mold to form the composite.
US07732027B2
A polypropylene film comprising 70-90 wt. % polymer (a), 2-10 wt. % polymer (b), 2-10 wt. % polymer (c) and 3-20 wt. % polymer (d) and having a haze of 8-30% (wherein the polymer (a) is a block copolymer prepared by producing a polymer part (component a1) by polymerizing in a first step monomers composed mainly of propylene in the absence of an inert solvent and producing an ethylene/propylene copolymer part (component a2) in a second step by polymerization subsequently carried out in a gas phase; the polymer (b) is an ethylene-based polymer having a density of 0.91-0.97 g/cm3 and a melt flow rate of 5-30 g/10 min; the polymer (c) is an ethylene/α-olefin random copolymer having a density of 0.86-0.90 g/cm3 and a melt flow rate of 0.3-5 g/10 min; and the polymer (d) comprises two or more propylene-based polymers different in molecular weight from each other).
US07732014B2
A method for diffusing titanium and nitride into a base material having a generally compact, granular microstructure (e.g., carbide). The method generally includes the steps of providing a base material having a generally compact, granular microstructure; providing a salt bath which includes sodium dioxide and a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium cyanate and potassium cyanate; dispersing metallic titanium formed by electrolysis of a titanium compound in the bath; heating the salt bath to a temperature ranging from about 430° C. to about 670° C.; and soaking the base material in the salt bath for a time of from about 10 minutes to about 24 hours. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the base material may further be treated with conventional surface treatments or coatings.
US07732010B2
A method for supporting a glass substrate comprising providing a substrate support having an aluminum body, a substrate contact area formed on the surface of the substrate support, wherein the process of forming the substrate contact area comprises forming an anodization layer on a surface region of the aluminum body, the coating having a thickness of between about 0.3 mils and about 2.16 mils, wherein the surface region substantially corresponds to the substrate contact area, and preparing the anodization layer disposed over the surface region to a surface roughness between about 88 micro-inches and about 230 micro-inches, followed by anodizing the substrate surface to said thickness, positioning the substrate support adjacent a substrate processing region in a substrate processing chamber, wherein the substrate contact area is adjacent the substrate processing region, positioning the glass substrate on the substrate contact area.
US07731999B2
It is intended to provide a coating fat composition for a food to be cooked and a process for producing a cooked food whereby a fried-like food can be obtained by a simple cooking procedure without frying in oil and thus problems accompanying the frying procedure such as worsening of the working environment and waste oil disposal can be solved. That is, the present invention provides a fat composition for coating a food to be cooked which comprises a fat and an agent for reducing the contact angle of the resulting fat composition to 0.7-times or less the contact angle of a fat having nearly the same slip melting point as the composition, wherein the contact angle is measured at an ambient temperature (in the case of the composition being liquid at ambient temperature) or at a temperature 10° C. higher than the slip melting point (in the case of the composition being semi-solid or solid at ambient temperature); and a process of producing a fried-like food which comprises coating the surface of a food with the fat composition for coating a food to be cooked and then subjecting the food to radiation heating or superheated steam heating.
US07731998B2
A system and method for reducing protein exudate on meat product. The system utilizes input hoppers and eliminates standing time for the meats. The elimination of a standing time for curing or protein extraction eliminates the ability for visible surface protein exudate to form.
US07731996B2
The present invention provides a dietary regime for a companion animal. The dietary regime comprises feeding the companion animal a food product which is designed for administration for a particular event. The present invention includes a sequence of products for feeding at prescribed times or in a prescribed order to accommodate a physiological need or modify a physiological response.
US07731995B2
Controlled studies demonstrate that methods using soy related peptides inhibit H3 acetylation, reduce expression of HMG CoA reductase and increase LDL receptor and Sp1 expression in mammals. The present disclosure is generally directed to using lunasin peptides and/or lunasin peptide derivatives to 1) inhibit H3 acetylation, 2) reduce expression of HMG CoA reductase, 3) increase LDL receptor expression or 4) increase Sp1 expression in a mammal. In at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an effective amount of lunasin peptides or lunasin peptide derivatives and one or more enzyme inhibitors is provided to a mammal to 1) inhibit H3 acetylation, 2) reduce expression of HMG CoA reductase, 3) increase LDL receptor expression or 4) increase Sp1 expression in a mammal.
US07731991B2
The present invention relates to the non-food and non-pharmaceutical use of a powder anhydrous dextrose composition, characterized by the fact that the composition has: a) a particle size such that: at most 4% of its particles (expressed as a volume) have a size at most equal to 40 microns, and at most 8% of its particles (expressed as a volume) have a size at most equal to 100 microns, b) a hygroscopic index less than 1%, and c) an apparent density larger than 0.7 kg/l.
US07731989B2
A method of treatment for epilepsy and other disease states is described, which comprises the delivery of gabapentin in a gastric retained dosage form.
US07731976B2
A method of treating irritable bowel syndrome using a probiotic composition including the bacilli (1) Bacillus subtilis, (2) Bacillus coagulans, and (3) Enterococcus faecium. The composition may further include a carrier medium, such as fructo-oligo-saccharides (FOS), as incorporated in a dose form such as a pill, capsule, powder or sachet. The compositions of the invention may be usefully employed as health or nutritional supplements, food additives, or therapeutic agents for combating a wide variety of physiological disorders.
US07731972B1
The present invention relates to an influenza antigen, comprising a fusion product of at least (1) the extracellular part of a conserved influenza membrane protein (e.g., M2) or a functional equivalent thereof and (2) a presenting carrier. The presenting carrier may be a (poly)peptide or a non-peptidic structure such as glycans, peptide mimetics, and synthetic polymers. The invention further relates to methods of making and using the antigen, and to influenza vaccines comprising the antigen and optionally one or more excipients.
US07731969B1
Disclosed are methods for producing immortalized antigen-specific plasma cells and antibodies which include depleting an immunized cell population of CD138-positive cells and activating the depleted cells. The methods may be used to improve the efficiency of obtaining immortalized antigen-specific plasma cells.
US07731967B2
The invention provides, inter alia, immunogenic compositions comprising a first antigen, at least two adjuvants, wherein a first adjuvant comprises a polymer derived from poly(lactides) and/or poly(lactide-co-glycolides), and wherein a second adjuvant comprises an imidazoquinoline, wherein said first antigen is encapsulated within, adsorbed or conjugated to, co-lyophilized or mixed with said first adjuvant, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein said composition elicits a cellular immune response when administered to a vertebrate subject. The invention also provides methods of producing immunogenic compositions, methods for producing a cytotoxic-T lymphocyte (CTL) response in a vertebrate subject, and methods of immunization.
US07731965B2
The present invention relates to antibodies that specifically bind to human BNP and immunoassays using said antibodies in the quantification of human BNP or a fragment of human BNP in a test sample.
US07731943B2
The present invention describes a method and compositions by which introducing PO4−3 ion at particular stage in the preparation of aluminum/zirconium solutions surprisingly results in significantly improved zirconium molecular weight stability.
US07731939B2
The immune response of an animal to a target immunogen may be enhanced by use of a novel adjuvant which includes low concentrations of killed cells of Mycobacterium avium subspecies avium in combination with mineral oil. The adjuvant may be used in vaccine compositions for the immunization of an animal against any target immunogen, and is particularly preferred for use with immunocontraceptive vaccines such as GnRH and PZP immunocontraceptive vaccines.
US07731937B2
The present invention is intended to provide a diagnostic method for paratuberculosis by which an animal infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis can be diagnosed at a high sensitivity in the sub-clinical infection stage before the specific antibody level begins to increase and a large number of specimens can be treated. The present invention provides: a diagnostic method for paratuberculosis characterized by collecting the blood of a subject animal, adding an anti-IL-10 antibody and a Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis antigen to the collected blood followed by culture, and then measuring the amount of produced IFNγ in the blood; a diagnostic method for paratuberculosis characterized in that the amount of produced IFNγ in blood is measured by the IFNγ ELISA method; and a diagnostic method for mycobacterial infection characterized by collecting the blood of a subject animal, adding an anti-IL-10 antibody and a mycobacterial antigen to the collected blood followed by culture, and then measuring the amount of produced IFNγ in the blood.
US07731934B2
The invention relates to a novel form of titanium oxide.The titanium oxide is characterized in that it has the crystallographic structure of rutile with an orthorhombic lattice and a Pnmm space group, it has a platelet morphology, the platelets being of rectangular shape with a length between 3 and 10 nm, a width between 3 and 10 nm and a thickness of less than 1 nm and it has a specific surface area, determined by nitrogen adsorption/desorption, of 100 to 200 m2/g.Applications: self-cleaning glazing, photovoltaic cells.
US07731929B2
Methods of aligning single walled carbon nanotube structures into selected orientations for a variety of different applications are achieved by initially dispersing the nanotube structures in aqueous solutions utilizing a suitable dispersal agent. The dispersal agent coats each individual nanotube structure in solution. The dispersal agent may be substituted with a suitable functional group that reacts with a corresponding binding site. Dispersed nanotube structures coated with substituted dispersal agents are exposed to a selected array of binding sites such that the nanotubes align with the binding sites due to the binding of the substituted functional groups with such binding sites. Alternatively, crystalline nanotube material is formed upon deposition of dispersed nanotube structures within solution into channels disposed on the surface of the substrate. Combining dispersal agent chemical modification techniques with deposition of the nanotubes into substrate channels is also utilized to produce useful structures.
US07731915B2
Pollutant decomposition device, including at least one outer transparent sheet and at least one inner transparent sheet being arranged such that a gap is formed between them and such that the gap is in communication with a surrounding gaseous composition on one side of the device such that the gaseous composition can pass through the gap. The device further including a photocatalyst arranged in the gap for depolluting the gaseous composition that pass through the gap. To obtain optimum decomposition efficiency the outer transparent sheet has a high degree of ultraviolet transmittance compared with the inner transparent sheet.
US07731912B2
Disclosed herein is provided an evaporator/calciner in which hazardous materials, such as radioactive liquids, are converted into chemically stable, solid forms by evaporating, drying and calcination within a single vessel, that can then be sealed and used for long term storage.
US07731908B2
A pipette, comprising a pipette casing which has disposed therein a seat, a piston seat in an accommodating body, mounting devices for reversibly fixing the mounting portion and syringe piston of a syringe within the seats and piston adjusting devices for displacing the accommodating body, wherein the mounting portion and syringe piston are adapted to be slid to their mounting positions through axial apertures, the mounting devices have radially advanceable gripping devices, the gripping devices have syringe gripping levers pivotally supported within the pipette casing and piston gripping levers pivotally supported within the accommodating body, the syringe gripping levers and piston gripping levers have two arms, the syringe gripping levers, at the insides of their actuator arms, having contact points which when their actuator arms are actuated are adapted to be externally pivoted against the actuator arms of the piston gripping levers, the syringe gripping levers have inwardly projecting release levers on the actuator arms, a transfer element which is slidably guided transversely with respect to the release levers within the pipette casing is adapted to be brought into abutment against the two release levers by being shifted by a front-end sided abutment area, and a trigger displaceable within the pipette casing is coupled to the transfer element to displace the transfer element upon displacement of the trigger.
US07731903B2
The invention relates to an analysis system which, by means of a reagent cartridge opening module, permits automatic opening of reagent vessels which are closed by screwing. The reagent cartridge opening module for this purpose has catch elements which can lock securely against rotation in correspondingly configured catch elements of a reagent vessel lid. In addition, the reagent cartridge opening module and the reagent vessel lid are connected via snap-in elements, so that transport of the reagent vessel lid perpendicular to the plane of the rotational movement is possible.
US07731895B2
An austenitic stainless steel improved in creep strength, creep ductility, weldability and also hot workability. The steel, consisting of, by mass %, C: 0.05-0.15%, Si: not more than 2%, Mn: 0.1-3%, P: 0.05-0.30%, S: not more than 0.03%, Cr: 15-28%, Ni: 8-55%, Cu: 0-3.0%, Ti: 0.05-0.6%, REM: 0.001-0.5%, sol. Al: 0.001-0.1%, N: not more than 0.03%, and the balance being Fe and incidental impurities. This steel may contain one or more of Mo, W, B, Nb, V, Co, Zr, Hf, Ta, Mg and Ca. It is preferable that REM is Nd.
US07731894B2
A method for producing a breech slide of a firearm in a metal injection molding process. The process includes the following steps: a green body is injected in an injection mold. The green body is cooled. The binder is removed from the green body to form a brown body. Then the brown body is sintered.
US07731889B2
A nanoimprinting configuration includes a UV light diffuser that randomizes a collimated UV light beam so as to diffuse the shadowing effect from any defect object that resides in the UV optical path. In addition, a combination center circular pad and outer ring-shaped pad form a donut-shaped “non-contact” area between the two pad pieces. The size and shape of the two pad combination are designed to avoid direct gel pad contact above the patterned imprint zone on the disk substrate. The purpose of the gel pad, non-contact configuration is to eliminate any possible surface deformation incurred along the loading column and thereby avoid the elastic propagation of any deformations to the stamper resist surface.
US07731885B2
A rod guide 10 for positioning on a sucker rod includes a sleeve-shaped guide body 12 and two or more spiraling vanes 14, 16 each extending radially outward from the sleeve-shaped body, with each vane spiraling about the body and defining a flow path between circumferentially spaced vanes. Each vane has a forward portion 24 spiraling in a forward direction, and a backward portion 26 spiraling in a backward direction rotatably opposite the forward direction. The rod guide may be used for either reciprocating rod or rotating rod applications.
US07731884B2
The present invention is directed to an annular gasket for providing a fluid-tight seal between an inner pipe and an outer pipe, when the pipes are in a relative surrounded and surrounding relationship. The gasket includes a gasket portion configured to sealingly engage the inner and outer pipes when the pipes are in a relative surrounded and surrounding relationship. The gasket includes a low coefficient of friction surface which is applied to the gasket portion. The gasket may be formed by a method in which a low coefficient of friction film is inserted into a mold before injection of compounds used to form the gasket.
US07731881B2
A method for making a fog resistant thermoplastic article includes conditioning a thermoplastic article by exposing it to an aqueous environment sufficient to result in fog resistance.
US07731880B2
Provided is a composition comprising fatty acid bis-amide, inorganic particulate such as pumice, cellulosic particulate, thermoplastic and maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin. The combination of an ethylene bis-amide and a minor amount of pumice produces cellulosic-thermoplastic composite that has superior extrusion properties over conventional metal stearate/ethylene bis-stearamide (EBS) compositions such as improved flex strength and resistance to water absorption.
US07731879B2
A process for the extrusion of peroxide crosslinked polymer parts, mainly tubes, in which the crosslinkable polymer is heated in an extruder in a controlled manner to a value above the crystallite melting point of the polymer, but below the crosslinking temperature, and fed continuously to an extrusion die to create the part and in which at least a partial crosslinking of the polymer is achieved in the extrusion die by heating of the polymer above a crosslinking temperature provision.
US07731874B2
A method of molding an optical component which includes providing a first mold and a second mold which mold the optical component, a cylindrical body whose rotational symmetry axis is identical with a second symmetry axis about which a second mold is rotationally symmetric, a trunk mold whose rotational symmetry axis is identical with a first symmetry axis about which a first mold is rotationally symmetric, a supporting means which supports the first mold in such a way that the first mold moves relatively to the trunk mold in parallel with the first symmetry axis, and a second tapered surface and a first tapered surface which contacts the second tapered surface, which connect the cylindrical body with the trunk mold in such a way that the second symmetry axis is identical with the first symmetry axis.
US07731870B2
The invention relates to a method constituting an improvement of the PUREX method, which makes it possible to obtain separation of uranium from the other actinides (Pu, Np, Th, . . . ) in a single purification cycle.This method successively comprises: a) co-extracting the uranium(VI), plutonium(IV) and other actinides(IV) or (VI) from an aqueous nitric solution by using solvent phase and scrubbing the latter; b) back-extracting the plutonium in oxidation state (III) from the solvent phase by using an aqueous nitric solution; c) back-extracting the uranium in oxidation state (VI) from the solvent phase by using an aqueous nitric solution; d) concentrating the aqueous nitric solution resulting from step c) with respect to uranium(VI); and it is characterized in that some of the uranium(VI)-concentrated aqueous solution obtained in step d) is used for back-extracting the actinide(IV) or actinides(IV) from the solvent phase during step b) or between steps b) and c).Uses: reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels based on UO2, (U,Pu)O2 or (U,Th)O2 mixed oxide.
US07731869B2
Mixed oxide powder consisting of particles with the components zirconium dioxide, aluminium oxide and at least a third component selected from the group including yttrium oxide, magnesium oxide or calcium oxide, wherein mixed oxide powder has an aluminium oxide content 0.01 to 10 wt. % and is homogeneously distributed in the mixed oxide particles, the content of aluminium oxide, zirconium dioxide and yttrium oxide is at least 99.5 wt. %, based on the total quantity of the powder, and the BET surface area is 20 to 80 m2/g. It is obtained by atomising a solution containing at least one starting compound for each of aluminium oxide, zirconium dioxide and the third component, allowing the atomised solution to react with oxygen in a reaction chamber at a reaction temperature 700 to 15000° C., cooling the hot gases and the solid products and then separating the solid product from the gases. It can be used as a dental material.
US07731865B2
The present invention relates to liquid-crystal (LIQUID CRYSTALLINE) media comprising polymerizable compounds, in particular for use in LIQUID CRYSTALLINE displays of the PS (polymer stabilized) or PSA (polymer sustained alignment) type, and to PS(A) displays containing LIQUID CRYSTALLINE media of this type.
US07731861B2
A liquid drop discharge head includes a chip 21 that is formed by separation of a silicon wafer 20. The silicon wafer 20 has a first direction and a second direction which are mutually intersected. The chip 21 is separated from the silicon wafer 20 by etching the wafer along a separation line 22 parallel to the first direction of the wafer and by dicing the wafer 20 along a separation line 23 parallel to the second direction of the wafer.
US07731859B2
A method of treating sewage sludge that has a solids concentration of about 18-35% by weight includes treating the sewage sludge with sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or a combination thereof to increase its pH to at least about 12, and treating the sewage sludge with calcium oxide. The treatment of the sewage sludge with the calcium oxide can take place before and/or during the treatment of the sludge with the sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. The amount of calcium oxide used is about 0.05-0.8% by weight of the sewage sludge.
US07731858B2
A method for modifying contaminants in a liquid comprising a reaction chamber where the liquid interacts with an ionization reaction material which causes contaminants to reduce or oxidize into harmless compounds.
US07731854B1
An in situ system used for treating an oil and gas well drilling fluid and treating water after a well is completed. The system includes a fluid treatment unit used in a reserve pit and a water treatment unit disposed next to the pit. The fluid treatment unit includes a floating electrocoagulation unit in the reserve pit for destabilizing contaminates in the fluid and dropping out stable precipitates. The clear treated fluid is then pumped, using a submersible pump, to the water treatment unit. The water treatment includes a number of components including a pre-filter, an activated carbon filter and a heat exchanger for first treating the fluid. The filtered and heated fluid is then piped into a reverse osmosis unit for removing salt and any remaining minerals found therein. From the reverse osmosis unit, approximately 70 to 80% of the filtered water is cleaned and piped to a clean water storage tank for reuse. Reject water from the reverse osmosis unit is transferred to a water pre-heater and a primary and secondary distillation unit for converting the heated water to steam. The steam is now piped to a condenser where the steam is cooled to distilled, clean water. The remaining clean water from the condenser is now transferred to the clean water storage tank.
US07731852B2
Biomass support members, including woven textile media, useful in biological contact processes and apparatus; biomass support panels of limited flexibility and substantial surface expanse, with or without frames, comprising a variety of different woven or non-woven biomass supporting members, which may or may not include the foregoing media; biological treatment processes using biomass supporting panels in any at least partly supported growth biological process, whether a wastewater treatment or not; and biological wastewater treatment apparatus comprising diffusers and biomass support panels that may or may not include the above media, and which may also include certain preferred spatial and operational relationships.
US07731848B2
Disclosed is a cartridge module of hollow fiber membranes, which can be easily mounted on and dismounted from a module mounting frame, and allow a process for removal of the inter-membrane clogging to be performed in an effective and simple manner. The cartridge module is mainly characterized in that a water collecting header has an opened first collected water outlet, which is located at the upper portion of the front surface of the water collecting header and can be opened and closed; and a closed second collected water outlet, which is located at the lower portion of the front surface of the water collecting header and can be opened and closed. The inter-membrane clogging can be very simply removed by dismounting, turning upside down, and remounting the cartridge module.
US07731844B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to porous materials for use in solid phase extractions and chromatography. The materials feature at least one hydrophobic component, at least one hydrophilic component and at least one ion-exchange functional group. The materials exhibit superior wetting and ion-exchange performance.
US07731843B2
The invention concerns a method and an apparatus (10) for treatment of water (26) to be injected into a subsea injection well, the apparatus (10) being disposed in water overlying the well, preferably on a water bed (12). The invention is characterized in that the apparatus (10) contains at least one receptacle (38, 40, 46, 48, 50) provided with at least one water-soluble solid-state chemical (42, 52, 54, 56) for treatment of the injection water (26). The water (26) is brought into contact with the at least one chemical (42, 52, 54, 56), causing it to gradually dissolve and mix with the water (26), after which treated water (26′) is led into an injection stream to the injection well.
US07731841B1
An aerator system for an artificial pond comprising an aerator housing defining an aerator chamber, filter media arranged within the aerator chamber, and a control valve assembly. The aerator housing defines first, second, and third aerator housing ports. The filter media defines first and second portions of the aerator chamber. The first aerator housing port is in direct fluid communication with the first portion of the aerator chamber, and the second and third aerator housing ports are in to direct fluid communication with the second portion of the aerator chamber. The control valve array is operatively connected to the first and second aerator housing ports and may be configured in a first mode to allow a portion of the water flowing through the aerator housing to bypass the filter media.
US07731837B2
Compositions and processes are disclosed for removing sulfur and sulfur compounds from hydrocarbon fuel feedstocks. The feedstock is contacted with a regenerable sorbent such as a compound of the formula TixCeyO2 where 0
US07731836B2
The invention relates to a process for the desulfurization of gasolines comprising a stage for fractionation of said gasoline into a light fraction that comprises thiophenic compounds such as thiophene or methylthiophenes, and a heavy fraction that concentrates the heaviest aromatic sulfur-containing compounds. The heavy fraction is treated by hydrodesulfurization, while the light fraction is brought into contact with a solid adsorbent that makes it possible to eliminate at least partially said light thiophenic compounds, whereby said adsorbent solid is regenerated by a flow internal to the process.
US07731833B2
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for plating a conductive material on a workpiece surface in a highly desirable manner. Using a workpiece-surface-influencing device, such as a mask or sweeper, that preferentially contacts the top surface of the workpiece, relative movement between the workpiece and the workpiece-surface-influencing device is established so that an additive in the electrolyte solution disposed on the workpiece and which is adsorbed onto the top surface is removed or otherwise its amount or concentration changed with respect to the additive on the cavity surface of the workpiece. Plating of the conductive material can place prior to, during and after usage of the workpiece-surface-influencing device, particularly after the workpiece surface influencing device no longer contacts any portion of the top surface of the workpiece, to achieve desirable semiconductor structures.
US07731829B2
An electrophoresis gel has a colored or pigmented loading area at one edge having a plurality of sample wells for receiving samples, the loading area extending beyond the ends of the wells so that the wells can be visually differentiated from the surrounding colored material in the loading area. The remainder of the gel is transparent or substantially transparent.
US07731827B2
The invention relates to a method for capturing charged molecules of interest traveling in an electrolyte flow stream through an electrically non-conductive channel, comprising at least one anode and at least one cathode individually separated from said channel, but in electrical contact with said flow stream, by a conductive ion selective semi-permeable membrane. Said membrane interferes with the normal migration of ions towards its respective electrode, generating at least two zones of different electric field. Balance between hydrodynamic and electrical forces captures certain ions into the flow stream. it also relates to a device for performing the method.
US07731822B2
A column for distillation or fluid-fluid separation is oriented at an angle to the horizontal other than vertical to provide increased transfer plate surface area within the interior of a column of determined diameter and to reduce overall height of the structure.
US07731809B2
The present invention provides a low-melt nickel-based alloy powder applied in an activated diffusion brazing repair on gas turbine components. In one embodiment, and by way of example only, the low-melt alloy powder comprises between about 6.7% and about 9.2% by weight Cr, between about 9.7% and about 10.3% by weight Co, between about 3.7% and about 4.7% by weight W, between about 3.3% and about 6.3% by weight Ta, between about 3.6% and about 5.2% by weight Al, between about 1.3% and about 4.0% by weight Hf, between about 0.02% and about 0.06% by weight C, between about 1.0% and about 3.2% by weight B, and Ni. Optionally, the low-melt alloy powder may include between about 1.4% and about 3.2% by weight Re.
US07731808B2
A steel sheet excellent in mechanical strength, workability and thermal stability and suited for use as a raw material in such fields of manufacturing automobiles, household electric appliances and machine structures and of constructing buildings, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The steel sheet is a hot-rolled steel sheet of carbon steel or low-alloy steel, the main phase of which is ferrite, and is characterized in that the average ferrite crystal grain diameter D (μm) at the depth of ¼ of the sheet thickness from the steel sheet surface satisfies the relations respectively defined by the formulas (1) and (2) given below and the increase rate X (μm/min) in average ferrite crystal grain diameter at 700° C. at the depth of ¼ of the sheet thickness from the steel sheet surface and said average crystal diameter D (μm) satisfy the relation defined by the formula (3) given below: 1.2≦D≦7 formula (1) D≦2.7+5000/(5+350·C+40·Mn)2 formula (2) D·X≦0.1 formula (3) wherein C and Mn represent the contents (in % by mass) of the respective elements in the steel.
US07731806B2
Automatic sealing of a dishwasher door is obtained through an electric actuator that moves the door from a close position adjacent to the opening of the washing chamber to a seal position in which the washing chamber is sealed typically against a gasket or the like. The actuator eliminates the need for the user to provide the force necessary to seal the gasket and/or can be used for improved venting of the washing chamber.
US07731805B2
A rack support system for a lower rack in a dishwasher is provided for a dishwasher having a wash chamber within a tub. The rack support system includes a frame configured to support the lower rack. A linkage system couples the frame to a side wall of the tub such that the lower rack is movable between a retracted position within the wash chamber and an extended position wherein the lower rack extends from the wash chamber. The lower rack is movable within a range between a lowered position and an elevated position with the lower rack extended from the wash chamber.
US07731799B2
A substrate processing method which removes an ArF resist film from a wafer having the ArF resist film. As an ultraviolet irradiation process is performed on the ArF resist film, and then an ozone gas and water vapor are fed to the ArF resist film, the ArF resist film is altered in a water-soluble state. Thereafter, the ArF resist film is removed from the substrate by feeding pure water to the ArF resist film altered into the water-soluble state.
US07731796B2
Disclosed herein are a novel nitrogen semiconductor compound simultaneously including groups with different electrical properties and a device fabricated using the nitrogen semiconductor compound as an organic semiconductor material or a hole conducting material. The nitrogen semiconductor compound can be spin-coated at room temperature when applied to the fabrication of the device, and has superior electrical conductivity and photovoltaic properties.
US07731795B2
Single, acentric, rhombohedral, fluoroberyllium borate crystals of a size sufficient for use in a variety of laser and non-optical applications are formed by a hydrothermal method.
US07731793B2
A polymeric fluid loss additive for hydraulic cement which includes a polymer component which exhibits delayed hydration. The fluid loss additive is suitable for use in cement slurries which may be subjected to elevated temperatures, as is common in oil and gas drilling operations. By way of the invention, cement slurries are provided which have improved fluid loss properties at high temperatures, while maintaining manageable rheologies that are conducive to mixing, pumping, and the like across a broad range of temperatures.
US07731786B2
The invention relates to a photosensitive dispersion with adjustable viscosity for metal deposition on an insulating substrate, which combines the following: a pigment providing oxidation-reduction properties under light irradiation, a metallic salt, a complex-forming agent for the metallic salt, a liquid film-forming polymer formulation, a basic compound, an organic solvent and water. The invention also relates to the use of said dispersion.
US07731782B2
Adsorption of CO2 from flue gas streams using temperature swing adsorption. The resulting CO2 rich stream is compressed for sequestration into a subterranean formation and at least a portion of the heat of compression is used in the desorption step of the temperature swing adsorption process.
US07731778B2
A bale of ferrous scrap for use in a steel making process where the bale comprises a compacted volume of scrap with an external marginal layer surrounding a center portion of the bale and a package of elements formed from commingled flux being compacted into the center portion and encapsulated in the bale.
US07731768B2
A fuel emulsion consists of diesel, water and an emulsifier composition having a hydrophile/lipophile balance value of at least 4. The emulsifier composition comprises a polymeric non-ionic surfactant having hydrophilic and hydrophobic repeating units together with at least one component selected from fatty acid esters or partial esters of polyhydric alcohols; alkoxylated fatty acid esters or partial esters of polyhydric alcohols; and alkoxylated primary alcohols. Preferred emulsifier compositions according to the invention include mixtures of the polymeric non-ionic surfactant with at least two of the components. Especially preferred compositions comprise mixtures of the polymeric non-ionic surfactant with the fatty acid (partial) esters or alkoxylated fatty acid (partial) esters. The emulsifier composition may include an emulsion coupler such as a primary alcohol, e.g. octanol.
US07731765B2
A battery (10) is disclosed having a lithium foil anode (11) embedded within a liquid electrolyte (12) which is positioned between two similarly constructed battery cathode halves (13) and (14). Each cathode half has a first glass barrier (16) coupled to a first porous metal substrate (17), a second glass barrier (18) coupled to a second porous metal substrate (19), a third glass barrier (20) coupled to a third porous metal substrate (21), and a lithium air cathode (22). A peripheral layer of edge sealant (25) surrounds the peripheral edge of the electrolyte and bonds the two halves together. The battery also includes an anode terminal (27) coupled to the anode and a cathode terminal (28) coupled to the cathode.
US07731761B2
Disclosed are polymeric dyes of formula (1a); (1b); or (1c); wherein A and B, independently from each other represent a polymer backbone; X1 and X2 independently from each other are a linkage group selected from —C1-C10alkylene-; —C2-C12alkenylene-; —C5-C10cycloalkylene-; C5-C10arylene; —C5-C10arylene-(C1-C10alkylene)-; —C(O)—; —(CH2CH2—O)1-5—; —C(O)O—; —OCO—; —N(R1)—; —CON(R1)—; —(R1)NC(O)—; -0-; —S—; —S(O)—; —S(O)2—; —S(O)2—N(R1R2); or the direct bond; R1 and R2 independently from each other are hydrogen; or unsubstituted or substituted, straight-chain or branched, monocyclic or polycyclic, interrupted or uninterrupted C1-C14alkyl; C2-C14alkenyl; C6-C10aryl; C6-C10aryl-C1-C10alkyl; or C5-C10alkyl(C5-C10aryl); Y1 and Y2 independently from each other are a residue of an organic dye; or hydrogen; wherein at least one of Y1 and Y2 is a residue of an organic dye; An1, An2 and An3, independently from each other are an anion; a and b independently from each other are a number from 1 to 3; m is a number from O to 1000; n is a number from O to 1000; and p is a number from 1 to 1000; wherein the sum of m+n+p≧3.
US07731758B2
The invention concerns an injection implant for filling up wrinkles, thin lines, skin cracks and scars, for reparative or plastic surgery, aesthetic dermatology, and for filling up gums in dental treatment. The invention concerns the use of biologically absorbable polymer microspheres or microparticles suspended in a gel. Said suspension is produced either ready-for-use or freeze-dried. The biological absorbability of the microspheres is controlled and enables the production of implants having well defined persistence and deliberately limited to 3 years.
US07731749B2
A bone anchoring device includes an anchoring element having a shank to be anchored in a bone or a vertebra and a head, a connection element for connecting at least two anchoring elements, a receiving part having a first end receiving the head, wherein the head is pivotable in the receiving part, and a second end comprising a recess for receiving the connection element, a first pressure element which exerts pressure on the head to lock the head in the receiving part, and a second pressure element which exerts pressure on the connection element to press the connection element against the first pressure element. The contour of the surface of at least the first pressure element or the second pressure element facing the connection element deviates from the contour of the surface of the connection element.
US07731744B1
An expandable stent is implanted in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen for rupturing a fibrous cap to controllably release vulnerable plaque. The invention provides for a an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by links. The stent includes struts and links of varying strengths about the circumference of the stent. The weaker struts and links require less force to open and, hence, may apply more stress to rupture the fibrous cap while the stronger struts and links protect the healthy portions of the body lumen. In another embodiment, the stent may include stress concentrators positioned on outer surfaces of the links. The stress concentrators are aligned with the fibrous cap prior to stent expansion so that upon stent expansion, the stress concentrators induce stress to rupture the fibrous cap, thereby releasing the vulnerable plaque.
US07731720B2
Systems and methods provide greater control over the placement of cement and other flowable liquids into bone.
US07731718B2
The invention relates to an implant for the treatment of bone fractures, in particular of proximal humerus fractures, having a main plate which can be fixed to the bone and at least one outrigger which can be connected to the main plate via at least one flexible connection element such that the outrigger can be fixed to the bone spatially offset with respect to the main plate.
US07731707B2
A device in the form of a conversion adapter for reducing an internal lumen of a catheter so as to accommodate a guidewire having a diameter substantially smaller than the internal lumen of the catheter as well as a catheter system including such a conversion adapter is provided. The adapter is positionable within the internal lumen of the catheter. The adapter has an external diameter which is substantially equal to the internal lumen of the catheter and further includes a smaller internal lumen which is substantially equal in diameter to the guidewire and is therefore capable of accommodating the smaller diameter guidewire therethrough. Preferably, the adapter extends within the internal lumen of the catheter along the entire length thereof, and preferably extends beyond the length of the catheter, including a flexible tapered tip at the end portion. In alternate embodiments, the adapter is slidably positionable and removable within the internal lumen of the catheter, thus providing a catheter system which is capable of effectively accommodating guidewires of two different diameters, without creating a drastic transition between the catheter tip and the guidewire and without compromising strength of the delivery system.
US07731703B2
A medical bag formed of a flexible material includes a front bag part and a rear bag part joined together to form a bag body. A closable liquid inlet port is provided in an upper part of the bag body. The medical bag further includes a deformable elongated member provided in the vicinity of the liquid inlet port on at least one of the front and rear bag parts. The elongated member is deformable so as to retain the liquid inlet port in an open configuration when the elongated member is in a deformed state.
US07731702B2
A portable closed wound drainage system that uses a pouch shaped dressing which is inserted into a wound. At least a portion of the outer surface of the pouch is porous to allow exudates to enter. Exudates are removed from the pouch by flexible tubing which is secured inside the pouch at one end and secured at the other end to a portable drain/suction unit. The pouch contains porous material. The tubing can have a single or multi-lumen structure. The pouch and the tube are sealed by a flexible sealing material which is applied to the outer surface of the skin. A cosmetic cover sheet is attached to the patient's skin over the closed wound drainage system.
US07731699B2
The present invention relates to a turbulence minimization apparatus comprising a float and seat assembly adapted to control turbulence and formation of microbubbles in a quantity of contrast media in the burette of a contrast media delivery system. The float includes an upper convex surface providing an impact surface for droplets of contrast media which fall from the inlet of the burette, a lower convex surface for sealing a drainage bore when the volume of contrast media has been substantially drained from the burette, and a predetermined amount of buoyancy. The seat assembly includes a plurality of fluid passageways that allow contrast media to contact the lower convex surface of the float allowing the buoyancy of the float to separate the float from the drainage bore when there is more than a predetermined amount of fluid in the drip chamber.
US07731696B2
An anticontamination cover prevents the biotic contamination of a gastrostomy catheter when the gastrostomy catheter is inserted through the mouth into the stomach for percutaneous, endoscopic gastrostomy. The anticontamination cover includes an elongate covering tube having a closed distal end and an open base end, and a loop attached to and projecting from the outside surface of the distal end of the covering tube. An opening is formed in a part of the distal end of the covering tube opposite a part of the distal end to which the loop is attached. A loop of the gastrostomy catheter inserted in the covering tube is passed through the opening of the distal end of the covering tube.
US07731695B2
A seal assembly establishes sealing engagement with a plurality of differently dimensioned instruments passing through a trocar. The seal assembly is a caged seal assembly movably disposed within the trocar and includes at least two seal segments disposable into and out of a sealing orientation relative to the instrument. A cage structure of the seal assembly includes at least two cage segments each connected to a seal segment, a biasing assembly connected to the cage structure and disposed and structured to normally bias the seal segments into sealing orientation.
US07731691B2
An infusion device including a site and a set for delivery of a substance to a patient. The site can include a cannula that is introduced into a subcutaneous layer of skin of the patient. The set can be coupled to the site by placing the set over the site and moving the set from an unlocked to a locked position. The set can be oriented at multiple rotational orientations with respect to the site, and can be coupled and uncoupled with the site multiple times. Also included is a device for inserting a subcutaneous infusion device into a subcutaneous layer of skin of a patient. Some devices automatically retract a needle used to introduce the cannula. Upon full introduction of the needle and associated cannula of the subcutaneous infusion device into a subcutaneous layer of skin of a patient, the device can move the needle into a retracted state.
US07731679B2
The invention includes a device having a chamber within a syringe. A fluid passageway extends through a syringe piston. A valve is associated with the passageway controlling fluid passage through the piston. The invention includes a piercing structure having a head segment and a body portion, with a channel through the body portion and through at least one surface of the head without passing through the tip. In another aspect the invention encompasses a method of preparing an agent for administration to an individual. A first component is provided within a syringe and a second component is provided within a vial. A closed valve is associated with a fluid passageway between the vial and the syringe barrel through a piston. Valve repositioning allows fluid passage and sliding of the piston joins the first and second components. Repeated sliding of the piston mixes the components to produce the medication agent.
US07731678B2
The invention includes a device having a chamber within a syringe. A fluid passageway extends through a syringe piston. A valve is associated with the passageway controlling fluid passage through the piston. The invention includes a piercing structure having a head segment and a body portion, with a channel through the body portion and through at least one surface of the head without passing through the tip. In another aspect the invention encompasses a method of preparing an agent for administration to an individual. A first component is provided within a syringe and a second component is provided within a vial. A closed valve is associated with a fluid passageway between the vial and the syringe barrel through a piston. Valve repositioning allows fluid passage and sliding of the piston joins the first and second components. Repeated sliding of the piston mixes the components to produce the medication agent.
US07731677B2
An ultrasonic surgical system enables connection of a hand switch as well as a foot switch, which is used to operate a driving signal generator, without the necessity of retrofitting a main unit including the driving signal generator used to drive an ultrasonic transducer incorporated in a connected handpiece. An extension unit is included for connecting the foot switch and hand switch to the main unit. The foot switch and hand switch are connected to the main unit via the extension unit.
US07731675B2
An improved intravascular blood pump and related methods involving the broad inventive concept of equipping the intravascular blood pump with guiding features such that the intravascular blood pump can be selectively positioned at a predetermined location within the circulatory system of a patient.
US07731673B2
A compact and easy-to-use walking assisting device capable of reducing constrained feeling given to a user and allowing a free swing of the arms of the user in walking. The walking assisting device comprises one or more leg links to which ground contact members are connected at their lower ends respectively and a load transfer portion connected to the upper ends of the leg links, in which at least a part of the weight of the user is supported by the leg links via the load transfer portion, wherein the load transfer portion includes a seat member for the user to sit astride, wherein connecting portions with the upper ends of the leg links connected thereto are attached to the undersurface of the seat member, and wherein the connecting portions have a degree of freedom allowing the forward/backward and lateral swings of the leg links.
US07731670B2
A system and method are presented to provide assist to a user by means of an exoskeleton with a controller capable of making the exoskeleton display active impedance. The exoskeleton assists the user by reducing the muscle effort required by the user to move his or her extremities. In one embodiment, a single-degree-of-freedom (1-DOF) exoskeleton assists a user with single-joint movement using an active impedance controller. In another embodiment, a multiple-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) exoskeleton assists a user with multiple-joint movement using an active impedance controller.
US07731669B2
A composite guidewire comprising a proximal wire segment having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the distal end being formed with a first flat planar bonding face which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis, the proximal wire segment having a first elasticity; a distal wire segment having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the proximal end being formed with a second flat planar bonding face which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis, the distal wire segment having a second elasticity; wherein the first and second flat planar bonding faces of the proximal wire segment are formed complementary to one another; and further wherein the proximal and distal wire segments are joined together by bonding the first flat planar bonding face to the second flat planar bonding face in an overlapping manner and a method for forming a composite guidewire.
US07731663B2
Systems and methods provide for assessing the heart failure status of a patient and, more particularly, to generating a trend parameter based on a distribution of the patient's respiration rate. Systems and methods provide for detecting, using an implantable device or a patient-external device, patient respiration and computing a respiration rate based on the detected patient respiration. A distribution of the respiration rate is calculated, and a trend parameter based on the respiration rate distribution is generated. The trend parameter is indicative of a patient's heart failure status. An output signal indicative of the patient's heart failure status may be generated based on the trend parameter.
US07731661B2
An imaging system comprises a device to excite mechanical waves in elastic tissue, a device for measuring the resulting tissue motion at a plurality of locations interior to the tissue at a number of time instances, a computing device to calculate the mechanical properties of tissue from the measurements, and a display to show the properties according to their location. A parameter identification method for calculating the mechanical properties is based on fitting a lumped dynamic parametric model of the tissue dynamics to their measurements. Alternatively, the mechanical properties are calculated from transfer functions computed from measurements at adjacent locations in the tissue. The excitation can be produced by mechanical vibrators, medical needles or structures supporting the patient. The measurements may be performed by a conventional ultrasound imaging system and the resulting properties displayed as semi-transparent overlays on the ultrasound images.
US07731644B2
A device for loading and unloading a machine-tool with tools, the tools being mounted in a tool store and being transportable via a manipulation device, which is particularly movable along multiple axes to a transfer position on the machine tool or in the machine tool and, after use in the machine tool, being removable therefrom, and the manipulation device having a gripper device for receiving the tools. To save weight and increase the access speed of the manipulation device, the manipulation device has at least one displacement arm movable in a preferably horizontal first movement direction, which is mounted so it is displaceable on a guide element, and the gripper device is mounted so it is displaceable on the displacement arm in this first movement direction.
US07731635B2
An exercise device includes a frame, a pair of foot supports, and at least one four-bar linkage assembly coupled to the frame. The at least one linkage assembly is coupled to at least one of the foot supports. The four-bar linkage assembly directs the foot support in a generally elliptical motion while in use. The generally elliptical motion defines a major dimension extending at an angle from horizontal that is within the range of about thirty degrees (30°) to about seventy-five degrees (75°) and the major dimension having a length that is within the range of about ten inches to about eighteen inches.
US07731634B2
An exercise device includes a frame defining a longitudinal axis. A foot link includes a rearward portion that is constrained to move in an orbital path approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis and a forward portion that reciprocally engages the guide track. A swing arm is a pivotally connected to the frame, the swing arm having an upper portion extending above the pivotal connection and a lower portion disposed below the pivotal connection. An engagement mechanism having a first portion coupled to the lower portion and a second portion coupled to the forward portion of the foot link, such that a rearward force applied to the upper portion will produce a force on the forward portion having a downward component. An arm enabling/disabling mechanism is positioned on the elongate swing arm below the pivotal connection. The arm enabling/disabling mechanism can be effectuated by a user without the user interrupting exercise.
US07731627B2
A vehicle parking control system includes a shift-by-wire apparatus that is operated based on an electric range position signal corresponding to one of the driving range and the non-driving range of the drive unit and that switches the lock mechanism to an engaged state and a released state in conjunction with a switching of one of the driving range and the non-driving range of the drive unit; a vehicle parking brake unit that is operated based on the range position signal and that switches a brake unit, which is provided to stop a rotation of the rotating member of the vehicle, between a braking state and a released state; and a control unit that operates the shift-by-wire apparatus and the vehicle parking brake unit based on the range position signal.
US07731624B2
An automatic transmission that includes two clutches that are disposed at positions that overlap in an axial direction and are different in a radial direction. The two clutches each include: a clutch drum, a piston that structures a working oil chamber with a portion of the clutch drum used as a cylinder, a plurality of friction plates that engage the clutch drum, and a cancel oil chamber that is disposed on a back surface side of the piston and that cancels a centrifugal hydraulic pressure that acts on the working oil chamber. An inner spline is formed on the clutch drum of one clutch, among the two clutches, that is positioned on an outer diameter side. An outer spline is formed on the clutch drum of the other clutch, among the two clutches, that is positioned on an inner diameter side.
US07731622B2
The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes three planetary gear sets, six torque-transmitting devices, one fixed interconnection and a grounded member. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The six torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, and the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of three to establish eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio.
US07731620B2
The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes four planetary gear sets, five torque-transmitting devices, a grounded member and three fixed interconnections. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The five torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, and the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of two to establish eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio.
US07731619B2
Variable motion control devices and methods of use. The devices and methods relate to providing an output, such as a rotational shaft output, transmitted from a rotational shaft input, with the output varying based on a control input. The devices and methods are used, for example, to provide a variable output for use with a compressor, power take off, or transmission or differential application. To provide the variable output, the devices and methods include use of mechanical component systems, such as spur gear planetary systems, ring gear planetary systems, bevel gear arrangements, or combinations of such features. The control input is implemented, for example, by arrangements of bindably meshed gears, tension between pulleys joined by belts or similar arrangements of sprockets and chains, use of magnetic clutches, hydraulic or pneumatic controls, or braking devices.
US07731615B2
A variable speed transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs is illustrated and described that provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The use of a planetary gear set allows minimum speeds to be in reverse and the unique geometry of the transmission allows all of the power paths to be coaxial, thereby reducing overall size and complexity of the transmission in comparison to transmissions achieving similar transmission ratio ranges.
US07731610B2
Disclosed is a multi-purpose sectional sports apparatus. The sports apparatus includes a plurality of assembling poles each including a main pole and a sub pole, a connector, and a supporting unit. The main pole has an insertion bore, an L-shaped lower fixture and a plurality of main coupling holes in an upper portion thereof. The sub pole is inserted into the main pole and has a plurality of lower height-adjusting holes and a plurality of upper sub coupling holes. The sub pole is movable up and down to have an adjustable height relative to the main pole as a fastener is fastened through selected ones of the height-adjusting holes and main coupling holes. The connector includes a branched body having a plurality of insertion branches for connection of the assembling poles, each insertion branch having an opening and an insertion bore. The supporting unit includes a plurality of supporting bars for supporting the assembling poles, at least one hollow supporting-connection member having a plurality of supporting-insertion branches for insertion of, for example, the supporting bars, and at least one branched connection member having a plurality of supporting-insertion branches for insertion of, for example, the supporting bars.
US07731606B2
The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a dual-layer core and a cover. The core consists of a center having a center hardness of 50 Shore C or greater and formed from a first HNP composition, and an outer core layer having a surface hardness of 75 Shore C or greater and formed from a second HNP composition. The first HNP composition has a material hardness of 55 Shore D or less and comprises a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid/alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer. The second HNP composition has a material hardness of 45 Shore D or greater and comprises a highly neutralized ethylene/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer. The material hardness of the first HNP composition is less than the material hardness of the second HNP composition. The cover consists of an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition and an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition.
US07731605B2
Disclosed herein are golf products, such as golf balls and/or components thereof, including the product of a fast-chemical-reaction mixture comprising a polyol and an isocyanate. The component is formed by reaction injection molding the reaction mixture. In the reaction mixture, the stoichiometry of the reactants is imbalanced.
US07731604B2
Embodiments of an iron type golf club head that defines a heel-portion, a mid-portion, and a toe-portion are disclosed. A mass of the heel-portion exceeds 35% of a combined mass of the heel-portion, mid-portion, and toe-portion. The heel-portion includes an opening to receive a weight insert located within a mass pad to provide heel biased weighting. The head further includes an undercut region in the toe-portion.
US07731599B1
A putting guide assembly and its associated method of use. The putting guide assembly attaches to the head of a putter. The putter head has a striking surface for striking a golf ball. The putting guide assembly is attached to the putter and presents a flexible guide surface that extends forward of the putter's striking surface. The flexible guide surface can be configured into different curvatures. As the flexible guide surface is adjusted, the perceived curvature observed by a golfer holding the putter changes. A golfer can therefore selectively change the perceived curvature to match the natural curvature inherent in that golfer's putting swing.
US07731591B2
A game apparatus includes, for example, a CPU, and a ROM and/or a RAM for executing and storing game programs and game program backup data. The RAM has multiple pre-allocated backup game data storage areas for use by different game programs during their respective execution including a single-player game backup data area, a multi-player game backup data area and a shared backup data storage area. The shared backup data storage area is provided for storing information that is accessible in common by a plurality of games, and separate game backup data storage areas are provided for each of the single-player version of a game and the multi-player version of a game. If a predetermined game condition is accomplished during progress of a game by an operator playing one of the plurality of stored game programs, the CPU writes information relating to the accomplished condition to the shared backup data storage area and to the backup data storage areas for both the single-player game version and the multi-player game version corresponding to the particular game in progress in which the condition was accomplished.
US07731580B2
A gaming device having a display with an award indicator that moves in multiple orbits is provided. A member rotates about a first center point at a first radial distance from the first center point. An indicator rotates about a second center point located on the member at a second radial distance from the second center point. When the indicator stops moving, the indicator points to or indicates an award that is provided to a player of the gaming device.
US07731575B2
A ventilation unit includes a casing which has two openings and an electric connection passage, a filter cartridge, a turbine disposed inside the casing and having an input and an output and a motor, a duct linking the output to the outside area of the casing via the output, another casing with a passage created inside the wall, a control circuit and a source disposed inside the casing, elements for associating the two housings such that the passages form a single passage, a flow meter inside the duct. The control circuit includes an exit which can issue a first alarm signal when the electric energy value of the source falls below a threshold. The ventilation unit is suitable for the ventilation of nuclear protection suits, bacteriological protection suits or protective suits in hospital environments.
US07731573B2
The present disclosure is directed to method, apparatus, and system for uniformly supporting flexible surface modifying articles during surface modification as well as enabling replacing and repositioning thereof for improving their useful service life as well as improving dust and debris control management.
US07731568B2
The object of the invention is to provide a polishing pad capable of maintaining high-precision end-point optical detection over a long period from the start of use to the end of use even if polishing is performed with an alkaline or acid slurry, as well as a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with this polishing pad. The polishing pad of the invention is used in chemical mechanical polishing and has a polishing region and a light-transmitting region, wherein the light-transmitting region satisfies that the difference ΔT (ΔT=T0−T1) (%) between T0 and T1 is within 10(%) over the whole range of measurement wavelengths of from 400 to 700 nm, wherein T1 is the light transmittance (%) of the light-transmitting region measured at the measurement wavelength λ after dipping for 24 hours in a KOH aqueous solution at pH 11 or an H2O2 aqueous solution at pH 4 and T0 is the light-transmittance (%) measured at the measurement wavelength λ before the dipping.
US07731566B2
A method of polishing a substrate includes holding the substrate on a polishing pad with a polishing head, wherein the polishing pad is supported by a platen, creating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad to polish a side of the substrate, generating a light beam and directing the light beam towards the substrate to cause the light beam to impinge on the side of the substrate being polished. Light reflected from the substrate is at a detector to generate an interference signal. A measure of uniformity is computed from the interference signal.
US07731561B2
A plush toy that has a spinning nose construction. The plush toy includes a plush character form made of a sewn body shell that is filled with soft stuffing. The sewn body shell terminates along open seam edges in a head section. The open seam edges define an opening. A motor is positioned in the head section of the plush character form. The motor is positioned so that the shaft protrudes out of the head section through the opening. To prevent the motor from moving, the open seam edges of the sewn body shell are fastened directly to the motor. A nose structure is provided that is coupled to the motor. The nose structure includes a proboscis and a plurality of elongated elements that radially extend from the proboscis. An array of lights can be attached to at least one of the elongated elements.
US07731556B2
A flat panel display is provided. The flat panel display includes a cathode panel in which a plurality of electron emission areas are provided on a support, and an anode panel in which a plurality of phosphor areas and an anode electrode are provided on a substrate. The cathode panel and the anode panel are joined together at their periphery by a joining member. The anode electrode includes an anode electrode central section covering the phosphor areas, and an anode electrode peripheral section surrounding the anode electrode central section and extending from the anode electrode central section and being provided in contact with the substrate. The average thickness of the anode electrode peripheral section is smaller than the average thickness of the anode electrode central section.
US07731555B2
An improvement to a conventional surfboard includes an impeller and an electric motor contained primarily within the body of the surfboard, whereby performance of the surfboard is substantially unaffected by the presence of the impeller and the electric motor. The electric motor is operatively connected to the impeller for providing a forward thrust of the surfboard. The improvement to the conventional surfboard also includes a throttle for selective control of the electric motor for operating the impeller to provide a forward thrust of the surfboard, the throttle being configured for use by a surfer lying in a prone position on the smooth top surface of the body of the surfboard. An extent of the surfer's energy that otherwise would be expended during paddling can be preserved for riding waves by using the impeller to provide the forward thrust during paddling.
US07731554B2
A shark-repelling surfboard or flotation board made of polymer foam with coating. The surfboard or the flotation board has a locator device for locating large aquatic animals, and an alarm device for alerting a rider of large aquatic animals, such as sharks, located by the locator device. The surfboard or the flotation board also comprises a repellent or deterrent signal generator that is configured for transmitting interference signals to disrupt the electro-sensory perception system of the aquatic animals.
US07731552B1
The jack plate has two vertically aligned side plates and a transom plate. A travel stop block is couple to the jack plate transom plate. The travel stop block is located between an upper and lower transom bars. The operational height of the jack plate can be manually operated by turning a hex head threaded rod.
US07731549B2
A plug-in connector for connecting to a glow plug in a diesel engine has a circular cross section and a plastic base body on which at least one strip contact is coaxially provided. The strip contact has a longitudinally extending slit and at least one protruding projection on the base body. After the strip contact is installed on the base body the projection is deformed in such a way that it projects at least partially over at least one web of the strip contact after being deformed.
US07731544B2
According to some embodiments, an electrical connection assembly comprises a conductive support having a pair of longitudinal conductive slots for receiving a corresponding pair of longitudinal conductive pins; and a U-shaped conductive spring coupled to the conductive support. The conductive spring comprises a pair of conductive longitudinal spring sides each aligned with a corresponding longitudinal conductive slot, and a spring top plate interconnecting the spring sides along corresponding top regions of the spring sides. Each spring side has a pair of parallel longitudinal slots defined therein. The longitudinal slots separate an outer perimeter section of the spring side from a central section of the spring side. The central section includes a contact tab configured to establish contact with a longitudinal conductive pin. The central section further includes an inward-bending support tab configured to press a bottom part of the outer perimeter section outward to establish contact with the conductive pin.
US07731539B2
In order to provide a connector for a memory card that seeks the reduction of the number of parts and the reduction of costs, there is provided a connector for a memory card including an insulating housing having plural power contacts and signal contacts lined up, and an accommodating unit for allowing installation of a memory card therein to bring an electric circuit in the memory card and an electric circuit on a printed circuit board into electrical connection through the power contacts and the signal contacts. A detecting contact for detecting that the memory card has been installed in the accommodating unit is further provided in the insulating housing along the power contact and the signal contact, and a leading end of the detecting contact is placed so as to be in contact with a pad of the memory card accommodated in the accommodating unit.
US07731534B1
An electrical connector has an insulating housing defining a recess. A receiving plate extends frontward from a rear surface of the recess and spaced apart from a bottom surface thereof. A shell coupled with the insulating housing to form an insertion space where the receiving plate is located has a connecting plate located between the receiving plate and the bottom surface of the recess. A portion of the connecting plate is extended and curved upwards and then curved downwards and upwards sequentially to form a substantial split ring-shaped resilient element. The resilient element comprises an upper resistive portion located adjacent to the receiving plate and a lower resistive portion located adjacent to the bottom surface of the recess. A free end of the lower resistive portion extends obliquely upwardly to form a connecting portion. A distal end of the connecting portion forms a propping portion located above the connecting plate.
US07731527B2
A connector (10) for a substrate has a tubular hood (21) in which at least one mating housing can be fit. The hood (21) is mounted on a surface of a circuit substrate (90). Channels (45, 46) are formed in a bottom wall (22) of the hood (21) and define grooves opening into the hood (21) for preventing the mating housings from being fitted in wrong fit-in concavities (28) of the hood (21). The channels (45, 46) have flat bottom surfaces that contact and extend along the circuit substrate (90) for stably supporting the hood (10) while spacing the bottom wall (22) from the circuit substrate (90).
US07731522B2
A push-in wire connector has an improved busbar suitable for use with either solid or stranded wire. The connector has a housing with a hollow interior. At least two openings in the housing provide access to the interior for the ends of wires inserted into the connector. A busbar is mounted in the housing The busbar defines at least two wire-crossing axes extending from an entry edge to an exit edge and a thickness between a top face and a bottom face. The busbar has a wire-receiving pocket extending below the top face on each of the wire-crossing axes and a wire-engaging protrusion extending above the top face on each of the wire-crossing axes.
US07731521B2
A device for electrical connection of discontinuous conductors, extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising a body made of insulating material inside which is disposed a conductor element provided with means adapted to come into contact with the conducting part of at least one respective discontinuous conductor, said body having guides for sliding of a respective slider provided with at least one relative seat extending parallel to said longitudinal direction and adapted to contain a portion of the relative discontinuous conductor, said slider being movable from a first position of extraction from the body to a second position of insertion inside said body.
US07731519B1
A first electrical connector part is adapted to be universally applicable to a wide variety of many different types of electrical connectors. In order to assure that the electrical connection is maintained, a complemental latching member is provided which is designed to fit a variety of existing electrical connectors. The complemental latching member has an internal cavity and telescopes over the universal electrical connector to coact with a given existing connector having guide keyways or orientation key elements in particular locations and latch the universally applicable electrical part in mating relation with the existing electrical connector. Thus, a discrete complementary part is provided which telescopes over the universal connector part and shields any exposed O.E.M. conductive parts from the environment and has a latching or locking member which shields a locking abutment on the universal part to maintain the electrical connection.
US07731518B2
A stacking connector is formed by a connector main body and a plug substrate, the connector main body has a substrate sandwiching member including a sandwiching gap into which the plug substrate fits, and a projection projecting into the sandwiching gap, the plug substrate has a concavity with which the projection engages in both top and bottom surfaces, and, after inserting the plug substrate into the sandwiching gap of the substrate sandwiching member, by sliding the plug substrate in a direction at right angles to the insertion direction, the concavity engages with the projection and the plug substrate is linked to the connector main body in an unremovable state.
US07731507B1
An electric connector is disclosed to include an electrically insulative housing, which has solder ball receiving portions, terminals respectively mounted in the housing corresponding to the solder ball receiving portions, each terminal having an endpiece, which defines with the sidewall of each of the solder ball receiving portions a respective receiving chamber, and solder balls respectively movably accommodated in the receiving chambers defined by the endpieces of the terminals and the sidewalls of the solder ball receiving portions.
US07731506B2
A pin layout of a golden finger for FPC is disclosed, which comprises: a substrate; a first conductive layer, having a plurality of first routings; a second conductive layer, having a plurality of second routings; and a plurality of conductive members; wherein the first and the second conductive layers are formed respectively on the two opposite sides of the substrate in a manner that each first routing is electrically connected to its corresponding first pin, while disposing a plurality of second pins, without contacting to the first pins and the first routings, on the side of the substrate where the first conductive layer is disposed for corresponding each of the second pins to the extensions of the plural second routings; and the plural conductive members are disposed forming electric connections between the second routings and the second pins in respective.
US07731505B2
A three-dimensional connector for a coordinate input device, which provides a touch pad and a support plate under said touch pad, includes a flat conductor cable. The flat conductor cable has an end connecting with the touch pad and another end providing a plurality of conductive lines. Each of the conductive lines corresponds to and is perpendicularly penetrated with a connecting pin; said connecting pin has a head section to press-fit with said flat conductor cable, extends through a slot, which is provided at the support plate next to said touch pad, to act as a contact such that said flat conductor cable is capable of transmitting electronic signal along a direction perpendicular to said flat conductor cable. Hence, the flat conductor cable can be connected firmly without loosening so as to enhance compactness of the three-dimensional connector substantially.
US07731496B2
An adjustable orthodontic apparatus formed by at least one base plate having opposing sides, the first side being a tooth engaging side and the second side having a plurality of columns of protrusions and channels created by the columns of protrusions and at least one connecting plate having opposing sides, the first side having a plurality of columns of protrusions and channels created by the columns of protrusions. The protrusions are designed to travel within the channels during an adjustment stage. A securing device locks the connecting plate to a desired position on the base plate.
US07731495B2
Techniques are described for providing an environment to model and depict a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a patient's dental arch, i.e., a virtual dental arch, and a separate cross section tool, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), as a visual aid to an orthodontic practitioner for selecting a position of cross section planes relative to the virtual dental arch. The GUI may display a control image and two moveable parallel lines. The position of the parallel lines relative to the control image approximates the position of the cross section planes relative to the virtual dental arch. Thus, by interacting with the GUI, the practitioner is able to change the position of the cross section planes within the 3D environment. Consequently, the practitioner can visualize the cross sections of the virtual dental arch within the 3D environment while selecting the position of the cross section planes.
US07731486B2
This invention provides a compressor that can efficiently return lubricating oil through an oil storage chamber to a lubrication target site without residence of the lubricating oil within the discharge chamber and can prevent deterioration in lubrication performance. The compressor comprises a housing having a discharge chamber for lubricating oil-containing hydraulic fluid and a discharge port communicating with the discharge chamber, a rotational shaft extended into the housing, a compression unit for the suction, compression and discharge of the hydraulic fluid through the drive of the rotational shaft, and a lubricating oil separator comprising a separation chamber and an oil storage chamber. The separation chamber is provided between the discharge chamber and the discharge port in the housing. The oil storage chamber is located below the separation chamber. Lubricating oil separated from the hydraulic fluid in the separation chamber is introduced through an oil hole is stored in the oil storage chamber. The compressor further comprises a communication section for directly communicating the discharge chamber and the oil storage chamber without through the separation chamber.
US07731481B2
A turbine engine component has an airfoil portion with a pressure side wall and a suction side wall and a cooling system. The cooling system has at least one cooling circuit disposed longitudinally along the airfoil portion. Each cooling circuit has a plurality of staggered internal pedestals for increasing heat pick-up.
US07731477B2
An insulated enclosure apparatus for use with an exhaust fan such as an attic fan which includes an upper frame through which air can exhaust and a lower frame for receiving air passing thereinto. The outer portion of the frame includes an upper frame and the lower frame that are each formed as two-piece units. Vertically extending panels extending therebetween to house the fan. A pivot axle is attached to the undersurface of each of the two doors for facilitating automatic opening and closing responsive to whether the fan is operating. Limit pins are included to restricted the distance of movement of the doors when opened. Gaskets can be attached along the door edges for sealing thereof to the upper frame.
US07731474B2
A cassette insertion control method, wherein when a cassette (1) is sent to the storage part (41) of a garage (8a), the cassette (1) is tilted without positioning the garage (8a) and the cassette (1) to oppose to each other, and sent to the front opening part (40) of the garage (8a) from a tip corner part (45) of the cassette (1), thereby to securely store the cassette (1) in the garage (8a). Thus, even if the accuracy of the stop position of a picker running in a direction parallel with the arranged direction of the garage is not so high, the cassette can be securely stored in the garage.
US07731472B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transporting a motorized vehicle, such as a wheelchair, between the loading bridge and cargo bin of an aircraft in a timely manner. According to one embodiment of the invention, a metal cage assembly is implemented with a drop down ramp at the front and an adjustable floor that is raised by a lever handle on either side, outside of the frame. The assembly can be attached to an end of aircraft cargo belt loader by a strap that is wrapped around the belt frame and tightened via a ratcheting clamp. The adjustable floor can be raised or lowered at one end to offset the angle of the belt loader when it is raised to an upright position, for example, to reach a galley door of an aircraft. Angling of the adjustable floor can allow the floor to be substantially parallel to the loading bridge or aircraft cargo bin, thereby enabling the easy transfer of a motorized wheelchair to and from various compartments of the aircraft. The present invention can eliminate injuries to employees, prevent damage to the customer's motorized wheelchair and provide prompt service to physically impaired airline customers.
US07731464B2
There is provided an insert nut, having an outer hollow portion made of a resin material and an inner hollow portion made of a metal material. The outer hollow portion has a projection functioning as a male screw or wedge formed on an outer surface thereof. The inner hollow portion has a female screw formed on an inner surface thereof. The inner hollow portion is press-fitted to the outer hollow portion by inserting one end of the inner hollow portion into the outer hollow portion to reach a final position. Further insertion of the inner hollow portion is prevented beyond the final position. Said one end of the inner hollow portion is caulked with the outer hollow portion.
US07731463B2
A locking device is disclosed for preventing rotation of one component relative to another component to which it is connected. The locking device comprises a locking plate having a component engaging portion to engage one component, A surface of the locking plate is grooved to engage with a grooved surface carried by the other component. One or more fixing holes are provided for one or more fixing members to be passed through, to force the grooved surface of the locking plate into engagement with the grooved surface carried by the other component.
US07731443B2
A mounting system for a component to be mounted to a vehicle frame is provided utilizing keyhole features in the component, and fasteners having sacrificial spacers in the vehicle frame. The sacrificial spacers upon the fasteners prevent them from being pushed into the vehicle frame when the component having keyhole features is placed over them. Once the keyhole features have been placed over the fasteners having sacrificial spacers, the fasteners having sacrificial spacers may be fully tightened, thereby fully contributing to the integrity of the resulting joint.
US07731436B2
An image forming apparatus using a thermal printing head (TPH) and a printing method thereof to print a borderless image on both sides of a printing medium. The image forming apparatus includes first and second feeding units respectively disposed at front and rear sides of the TPH to transfer the printing medium at a predetermined printing speed and a pair of out-feed rollers that co-rotates and feeds out the printing medium, in which one of the out-feed rollers rotates in contact with the pick-up roller. A platen roller co-rotates in contact with the printing medium fed by the first and second feeding units The TPH has a printing position in which the TPH is pressed towards the platen roller to form a printing nip, and an open position in which the TPH is separated from the platen roller. The knock-up plate has a pick-up position where the printing medium comes in contact with the pick-up roller and a stand-by position where the printing medium loaded thereon is separated from the pick-up roller. The knock-up plate is respectively disposed to the pick-up position and the stand-by position when the TPH is disposed to the printing position and the open position.
US07731424B2
A detector holder for a flat panel x-ray detector has a mechanical plug interface that allows flat panel x-ray detectors of respectively different types to be connected to and held by the detector holder. An x-ray system equipped with such a detector holder can be used flexibly for different applications respectively requiring different types of flat panel x-ray detectors. The type of the flat panel x-ray detector currently retained by the detector holder can be automatically detected and used by the data processor that processed output signals from the currently-employed flat panel x-ray detector.
US07731423B2
A protective cover for a cushion or mattress is disclosed. The protective cover has an upper part, an internal pocket to contain a radiography cassette, and an inflatable support element between the internal pocket and the upper part.
US07731419B2
A device for determining a parameter history indication of at least one external parameter includes, in at least one embodiment, a first electrode portion, in consuming contact with a first electrolyte, and a second electrode portion, in consuming contact with a second electrolyte. A consumption process of the second electrode portion, in at least one embodiment, is controllable by an amount of consumption of said first electrode portion. The electrolytes are so arranged that consumption rates of the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion present different dependencies on the at least one external parameter. A kit of parts including such a device, and a method for determining a parameter history indication of at least one external parameter are also disclosed.
US07731417B2
A PWM signal generation circuit in an IPM includes an amplification circuit amplifying a voltage across terminals of a temperature sensor, a comparison circuit generating a PWM signal based on a triangular wave signal and an output signal of the amplification circuit, and a correction circuit setting an amplification ratio of the amplification circuit such that a pulse width of the PWM signal is set to a reference pulse width in an adjustment mode in which a switching element is caused to have a reference temperature. Consequently, characteristic variations in the temperature sensor, the amplification circuit, and the like can be corrected, and the temperature of the switching element can be detected with high accuracy.
US07731416B2
During normal use, the time indicator (2) is driven by a mechanism (3) controlled by the gear train (4) of the timepiece. This mechanism is arranged for uncoupling the gear train from the indicator when the time-setting member (1) is actuated, this action causing the indicator to move forward through a step of one hour. The time-setting member includes a push-button (5) which actuates a device (6) that in turn acts on said mechanism (3).
US07731412B2
Fluid processing apparatus comprises a fluid-handling manifold comprising a manifold body having at least a first fluid duct and a second fluid duct. The first and second fluid ducts are in fluid communication with each other at a microfluidic junction of the fluid-handling manifold. The manifold body further comprises a transducer operative to generate ultrasonic acoustic traveling wave radiation into fluid in the microfluidic junction from an active surface toward a non-reflective boundary of the microfluidic junction. The microfluidic junction is operative to pass fluid received from the first and second duct, with micro-mixing effected by the traveling wave radiated into the junction during the fluid flow.
US07731403B2
A lighting system for a vehicle comprises a sealed unitary light module including at least one high-intensity power light emitting diode operates with a luminous efficiency of at least about 7 lumens per watt when passing a forward current of at least about 350 milliamps and that emits a luminous flux of at least about 25 lumens when operated at its operating voltage. The sealed unitary light module is removable as a unit from the vehicle and includes a heat dissipating element and a lens.
US07731398B2
A portable lightbox assembly comprises a housing and a lift mechanism having at least one light fixture coupled thereto, the lift mechanism coupled to the housing and movable from a retracted position enclosable within the housing to an extended position protruding beyond the housing.
US07731391B2
An illumination system includes an illumination source such as an array of LED's over which is provided a diffuser. The illumination source provides light which, because of light refraction, radiates generally uniformly from edge to edge of the diffuser. The diffuser may be a planar flat piece of may include a hollow, cup like structure formed by a frame with a cover. The illumination system may be scaled up to provide multiple such illumination devices side by side to provide a greater area or strength of illumination. Multiple systems may utilize multiple diffusers or a single diffuser covering multiple illumination sources. The illumination source may be mounted to a backplate or heatsink which is larger than the illumination source to facilitate the addition of further electronic circuitry and or mounting capabilities.
US07731386B2
A lighting device is disclosed. The lighting device can include a light bar and a base having an elongated groove shaped to receive the light bar. The light bar can be rotatable relative to the base around an axis substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the light bar. Rotation of the light bar around this axis can move the light bar into and out of the elongated groove, thus converting the lighting device between compact and expanded configurations. For greater maneuverability, the light bar can include a light source housing portion rotatable around an axis substantially parallel to the long axis of the light bar. The light source housing portion can include two or more light emitting diodes positioned along the long axis of the light bar. The lighting device can be used with a mounting sleeve shaped to receive, for example, one end of the base.
US07731385B2
A lighting device includes one or more light sources, one or more switches, and a controller. The lighting device has multiple modes of operation. The controller selects modes of operation according to the one or more switches. The controller controls or operates the one or more light sources according to the selected mode of operation.
US07731380B2
A weapon mount tactical light trigger includes a mount for Picatinny rail to clamp to a shotgun or rifle, a light mount to clamp a tactical light, and a principle mount to joint both mounts with a trigger base fixed at the back. Components of the trigger base include a trigger to switch on/off the tactical light, a circular shaft to allocate the trigger on the trigger base and a fixing bolt to keep the trigger and switch of the light to stay connected under normal conditions. When a user presses the trigger with a finger, the trigger pivots on the circular shaft and exerts pressure to the switch of the tactical light. The structure design of the trigger base is according to the principle of leverage; via pressing the trigger, it exerts pressure to the switch to turn on/off the light; as the mechanism design of this creation avoids possible shortfall of wire conduction and enhance the performance stability of the tactical light.
US07731379B2
A hand held UV lamp and beam generator has resistive ballast provided by a glowing wire and thermal ballast provided by heated air coming via the same hot wire. A detachable reflector housing has curved symmetric spars in a generally parabolic shape defining an axis with an elongated axially lamp at a focal line. Heated air flows through the spars heating the lamp in a start mode and cooling the lamp in a run mode. The lamp and beam generator is made from electrical components found in a household hair dryer.
US07731378B2
A lighted hair accessory includes a power source; one or more light emitting devices in electrical connection with the power source; and a switch interposed between the power source and the light emitting devices. A hair accessory configured to secure a bunch of hair is fitted with the power source, light emitting devices, and switch for the hair accessory to selectively display light by activating the switch.
US07731370B2
A projection system and a method for operating a discharge lamp are described. The protection system comprises a discharge lamp 12 and driving electronics 14. The color wheel 18 serves as color filter for filtering light 16 emitted from lamp 12 to generate a light sequence 20 with different colors in sequential color time periods 22, 22a. In between color time periods 22, 22a, spoke time periods 24, 24a are arranged. The driving electronics provide a lamp current I with superimposed first current pulses, which are generated in at least one of the color time periods 22, 22a. In order to allow greater flexibility and be able to achieve stable arc operation and constant color point over lamp lifetime, the driving electronics 14 further provide second current pulses superimposed on the lamp current. The second current pulses are generated during at least one of the spoke time periods 24, 24a.
US07731369B2
A system and method for mounting a light engine assembly is provided. More specifically, the system comprises a housing structure including an upper portion and a lower portion, a mounting structure coupled to the housing structure, wherein the mounting structure is not affixed to the lower portion, and a light engine coupled to the mounting structure.
US07731365B2
The invention provides a method of fitting lenses that results in correction of not only low and high order ocular aberrations, but that additionally provides correction for the effects of cortical influences, or neuro-adaptive influences.
US07731363B2
Methods, systems and software for determining an optical surface model for an optical tissue system using Fourier transformation algorithms. A method of reconstructing optical tissues of an eye comprises transmitting an image through the optical tissues of the eye. The surface gradients from the transmitted image are measured across the optical tissues of the eye. A Fourier transform algorithm is applied to the surface gradients to reconstruct an optical surface model that corresponds to the optical tissues of the eye.
US07731361B2
An ophthalmic apparatus capable of performing alignment of the apparatus with respect to an examinee's eye with ease regardless of characteristics of the eye or an environment of the apparatus includes a measurement unit performing examination/measurement of the eye, a projection optical system for projecting an alignment target onto an anterior segment of the eye, an image-pickup optical system for picking up an anterior-segment image with an image of the projected target by a two-dimensional image-pickup element, and a calculation and control unit detecting the target image, and based on the detection result, detecting an alignment condition of the measurement unit with the eye, wherein the calculation and control unit detects two-dimensional luminance distribution in an image obtained by the element, and based on the detection result, changes projection light intensity of light of the target and/or gain of the element so that the target image becomes detectable.
US07731354B1
A spectacle frame is disclosed as including two frame members which are pivotally movable relative to each other, each frame member being capable of holding a piece of optical lens, each frame member having an outer side and an opposite inner side, and two nose pads each with a free major surface, in which each frame member includes an extension with a tunnel, and each nose pad is engaged with a pin and a stopper for simultaneous movement, and the pins are received within the tunnel of the respective frame member for relative rotational movement to thereby rotate each nose pad relative to the respective frame member, and each stopper is adapted, during rotational movement of the nose pad relative to the respective frame member, to abut the respective frame member to limit the extent of rotational movement of the nose pad relative to the respective frame member.
US07731347B2
A maintenance system and method for maintaining an imaging member of an imaging device includes a pre-cleaning device to clean the imaging member; an applicator to apply release agent to the imaging member; a metering device to meter release agent on the imaging member; a reservoir to remotely store release agent; and a pump to supply the applicator with release agent from the reservoir. The saturation level of the applicator is monitored and maintained within a predetermined range. The applicator, pre-cleaning device and metering device may be independently actuated to engage the imaging member. Release agent collected by the pre-cleaning device and/or metering device may be recycled. Debris collected by the pre-cleaning device and/or metering device may be stored and/or removed.
US07731342B2
A system and method for image correction in a direct marking system is provided using input scaling. The system and method utilize spatial dependent scale factors for each color of a liquid ink printer in the direct marking system. The value of each scale factor depends upon the ratio of the target mass to the average mass of the ink drops in the region to be corrected. The target mass is typically equal to or near the lowest average mass to insure that all regions can be adjusted to common output color. All input values received by the direct marking system and corresponding to a region to be corrected are multiplied by the appropriate scale factor to correct for drop volume variations among different printheads of the direct marking system. Each printhead includes a plurality of ejectors for depositing ink on a recording medium.
US07731331B2
A device for printing a web moving in a direction (YB), wherein ink jets print on the web a printing width across its direction (YB) of advancement while traversing a printing station. The printing station includes one or more printer heads that produce ink jets over a footprint width which is narrower than the intended printing width over the web. One or more shaping elements bestow on the web traversing the printing station a V-shape so that the web is at least locally oriented oblique to the linear array of nozzles that project the ink. The ink from the printer head(s) is thus printed over the intended printing width of the web.
US07731330B2
A position detecting device for detecting a position of an object, includes a light emitting portion that emits light, a light receiving portion that receives the light from the light emitting portion, and a scale that is arranged between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion, and includes a position detecting pattern and a smear detecting pattern. The position detecting pattern has a first light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a first light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged in a detection range of the object. The smear detecting pattern for detecting smear of the scale has a second light transmitting portion for transmitting the light from the light emitting portion and a second light interception portion for intercepting the light from the light emitting portion which are alternately arranged.
US07731319B2
Various embodiments of an apparatus and method for lifting an imaging head are disclosed.
US07731318B2
A pneumatic ink-jet system is applied in an inkjet printer and uses a negative pressure generator, which is designed according to the Bernoulli's Theory, with a stable airflow in a certain speed to generated stable pressure inside at least one inkpot and at least one print head. Therefore, the at least one print head is kept in an appropriate wet state and the quality of printing is enhanced. Moreover, a top surface of the ink inside the at least one inkpot can be controlled to be higher than the at least one print head, so the pneumatic ink-jet system can be applied in a large format inkjet printer.
US07731305B2
In an unstable driving situation of a vehicle with an electronically controlled hydraulic brake system with a front/rear split of brake circuits, for instance during a lane change, the inlet valve of one of the two front wheel brakes may be closed for the ESC in order to raise the pressure in only the other wheel brake of the brake circuit. If then the vehicle runs the risk of tipping over, ARP sets in. The vehicle path needs to be readjusted to reduce lateral forces. The ARP demands a pressure build-up in the curve-outer front wheel brake. The corresponding inlet valve will be opened for the ARP to allow a pressure build-up. However, the ESC may still demand a higher pressure on the initially actuated wheel brake to counter understeering. In this event, the inlet valve of the curve-inner wheel brake, which is under high pressure from the ESC intervention, will remain open to allow a cross-flow of brake fluid from the ESC wheel to the ARP wheel.
US07731298B2
A shearer-loader drive subassembly having a rotatably mounted drive sprocket, a transmission gear connected to the sprocket in a rotationally fixed manner, at least one releasable guide shoe provided for guiding the shearer loader on a rack arrangement, and a housing base plate, on which a bearing tube is supported and fastened in a rotationally fixed manner. The guide shoe is fastened by a pin which passes through the inner bore of the bearing tube and forms the pivot bearing for the guide shoe. A bearing sleeve rotatably supported on the bearing tube by a bearing may be arranged between the drive sprocket and the bearing tube, onto which bearing sleeve the drive sprocket may be pushed in a releasable manner.
US07731288B2
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle seat (2) comprising a seat part (6) which may be moved by means of a seat part mechanism (20) from an operating position into a non-operating position, a backrest (4) which may be swiveled by means of a backrest mechanism (8) about a swivel pin (10) in the direction of the seat part (6), and a coupling element (44) for coupling the movement of the backrest (4) to the movement of the seat part (6), the coupling element (44) cooperating with the backrest mechanism (8) and the seat part mechanism (20) such that the coupling element (44) exerts a tensile force on the seat part mechanism (20), in order to move the seat part (6) from the operating position into the non-operating position.
US07731280B2
A vehicle seat of the invention includes: a rectangular-shaped seat back frame (5) having a pair of side frames (6); a plurality of seat springs (34A, 34B) disposed between the side frames; a single plate-shaped flexible cushion plate (31) attached to the seat springs; a seat cushion (9) provided on the front side of the cushion plate; link mechanisms (15, 35) provided near the side frames; and a headrest (4) coupled to the link mechanisms (15). Both ends of the seat spring (34B) are coupled to the link mechanisms. When the seat spring (34B) is moved rearward, the headrest is moved forward. Both sides of each of the remaining seat springs (34A) are mounted to the side frames.
US07731279B2
An apparatus and method for providing controlled heating, cooling and motion, in a device such as an active robotic automobile seat, are disclosed. A shape memory alloy (SMA) element, which changes shape upon application of a temperature change to the SMA element, is coupled to a thermoelectric device. Heat flows through the TED upon application of an electrical current through the TED. The apparatus is operable in one of a plurality of modes. In a first mode, a current is applied through the TED to cause a temperature change in the SMA element to change the shape of the SMA element. In a second mode, a current is applied to the TED to cause heat flow in a space adjacent to the apparatus. By controlling application of current to the TED, controlled motion, heating and cooling are achieved in the seat.
US07731272B2
A load transfer structure in an A-pillar assembly for transferring force from a frontal impact to the vehicle rail, rocker and door reinforcement. The load transfer structure having a support wall, a pair of transverse walls, and a longitudinal wall and is disposed in a space within the A-pillar assembly. Accordingly, the load transfer structure reduces material required in conventional A-pillar assemblies while maintaining the same load transfer capabilities.
US07731264B1
An overlay for a motorcycle inner fairing including a conformal overlay that conforms to dimensional features of an inner fairing substrate, the inner fairing substrate includes a plurality of associated peripheral edges defining an inner surface, an outer surface, and an associated thickness t.
US07731253B2
The invention relates to a rubber-sprung rail wheel having a wheel tire (1), which has a peripherally-extending web (3) on the inner side (2) thereof, and a wheel rim (4) provided with two legs (6, 7) on the outer side (5) thereof, and two rubber rings (8, 9) that are arranged between the wheel tire (1) and the wheel rim (4). The rubber rings (8, 9) are arranged on both sides of the web (3) and are laterally delimited by the legs (6, 7). A first gap (12) is formed between the inner side (2) of the wheel tire (1) and the end edges (10, 11) of the legs (6, 7) and the rubber rings (8, 9) and a second gap (12) is formed between the outer side (5) of the wheel rim (4) and the end edges (13, 14) of the web (3) and the rubber rings (8, 9). The web (3) and the legs (6, 7) are configured in such a way that the rubber rings (8, 9) are inclined with respect to the central plane of the web (3). According to the invention, the rubber rings respectively have a conically expanded region on the inner diameter (14) and outer diameter (11), and a region having a constant wall thickness between the expanded regions.
