US07975207B2
A data recording and/or reproducing apparatus and method for an information recording medium includes: an extra ECC encoder; and an extra ECC controller determining whether extra ECC is applied to the information recording medium, and controlling the extra ECC encoder to generate an extra parity data block corresponding to data that is to be recorded on the information storage medium. The extra ECC encoder includes: an extra parity generator generating an extra ECC data block based on data that is to be recorded on the information recording medium, performing ECC on the extra ECC data block, and generating at least one extra parity. An extra parity interleaver interleaves the at least one extra parity and generating the extra parity data block.
US07975206B2
An ECC block is constituted by RS(248,216,33). Of a data length of 216 bytes (symbols), only 16 bytes are allocated to BCA data and the remaining 200 bytes are used for fixed data having a predetermined value. Using the fixed data of 200 bytes and the BCA data of 16 bytes, parities of 32 bytes (symbols) are calculated. Only the BCA data of 16 bytes and the parities of the former 16 bytes of the 32-byte parities, that is, a total of 32 bytes only, are recorded in a burst cutting area of an optical disc. In decoding, error correction processing is carried out by using the fixed data of 200 bytes. The unrecorded parities of 16 bytes are processed as having been erased. Thus, the error correction capability in a burst cutting area of an optical disc can be improved.
US07975203B2
Quadratic polynomial permutation (QPP) interleaver providing hardware saving and flexible granularity adaptable to any possible turbo code block size. A means is presented by which only a very small number of coefficients need be stored to effectuate a wide variety of QPP interleaves as can be employed in the context of turbo coding. In one instance, to accommodate the approximate 6000 different turbo code block sizes in 3GPP LTE channel coding, only 5 different coefficient values need to be stored to effectuate a very broad range of QPP interleaves to be applied each of those various turbo code block sizes. Moreover, a few small number of dummy bits, if any, need to be employed to accommodate a very broad range of turbo code block sizes. It is noted that the QPP interleaving as described herein can be applied to turbo encoding and turbo decoding (e.g., including both interleaving and de-interleaving).
US07975196B2
An integrated circuit or circuit board includes functional circuitry and a scan path. The scan path includes a test data input lead, a test data output lead, a multiplexer, and scan cells. A dedicated scan cell has a functional data output separate from a test data output. Shared scan cells each have a combined output for functional data and test data. The shared scan cells are coupled in series. The test data input of the first shared scan cell is connected to the test data output of the dedicated scan cell. The combined output of one shared scan cell is coupled to the test data input lead of another shared scan cell. The multiplexer has an input coupled to the test data output, an input connected to the combined output lead of the last shared scan cell in the series, and an output connected in the scan path.
US07975189B2
The disclosure proposes bit-error-rate (BER) and symbol-error-rate (SER) estimation techniques and its application to incremental-redundancy and rate-adaptation for modern-coded hybrid-ARQ systems. In particular, BER/SER estimators are proposed based on iterative refinement of mixture-density modeling of the bit/symbol decision metrics. For hybrid-ARQ systems, rate-adaptation functions are proposed based on BER/SER estimators for failed transmissions. Methods are disclosed for code-rate selection based on successfully decoded blocks as well as incremental parity size selection for retransmission of failed blocks Techniques disclosed here apply to forward-error-correction codes employed for digital data communication systems.
US07975184B2
A dedicated processing system for monitoring, processing and combining mass statistical diagnostic data of a process control system. Through real time and near real time network health monitoring by the system statistical inferences can be made to anticipate potential system and device problems with notification(s) to users. A variety of user alerts are facilitated, including status and warning LEDs, direct display, and display on a networked computer. Multiple systems can be employed and systems will discover each other and interoperate. Specific systems can be specified to gather and unify diagnostic data from installations with multiple systems.
US07975179B2
Techniques are provided for automatically diagnosing errors in a software system. The software system automatically determines whether conditions associated with the software system warrant use of any diagnostic features that are not currently enabled. When the software system determines that the conditions associated with the software system warrant use of any diagnostic features that are not currently enabled, the software system determines which of a plurality of available diagnostic features should be enabled. The software system then enables the determined one or more diagnostics features.
US07975178B2
Provided are a semiconductor memory device, memory system and method of executing a bootloading operation. The method includes cyclically executing a bootloading operation cycle that includes loading the boot information from the memory to the controller, and performing an ECC operation on the boot information. The ECC operation provides a fail condition indication or a pass condition indication and if the fail condition indication is provided, the next bootloading operation cycle is executed.
US07975166B2
In a digital video system, high availability distribution is provided using spare modules such as an integrated receiver decoder, multimedia transcoder and streaming module in support of the primary modules. The primary modules multicast status messages which are monitored by the spare modules. When failure of a primary module is detected, the spare module takes over the role of the failed module, for example by joining the same multicast groups as the failed module and taking over processing of the streams of the failed module. Multiple redundancy schemes are described.
US07975165B2
Information Technology Risk to an organization is associated with a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) each running on a plurality of hosts, each host being a computer system connected to a network and in communication with a risk orchestrator, which receives threat indication messages (TIMs) from threat indicators. Each TIM indicates a status of a threat to which a hosts is vulnerable. Downtime probability (DTP) resulting from the threat and an overall host DTP for each host are calculated. For each VM, a risk value associated with the VM is calculated as a function of the host DTP for and an impact for the VM, the impact being a value reflecting a relative importance of the VM to the organization. Each VM requiring risk mitigation is identified and prioritized in accordance with a policy, and a configured mitigation control action may be carried out for each VM requiring risk mitigation.
US07975162B2
An apparatus for aligning input data in a semiconductor device includes at least one alignment block and a decision block. The at least one alignment block is for aligning serial input data into groups of parallel data synchronized to at least one divided data strobe signal for increasing margin between the maximum and minimum tDQSS values. The decision block is for selecting one of the groups of parallel data as valid data in response to synchronization information generated for removing any invalid data in the serial input data resulting from a write gap.
US07975150B1
A system and method for protecting queryable data. Specifically, the method is implemented in a system for targeted data delivery. The method includes collecting user information about a user and generating a user profile based on the user information. The user profile is divided into at least one part. Each part of the user profile is concealed such that each part of the user profile is only accessible using a corresponding tool controlled by a third party.
US07975143B2
Under the present invention, an electronic document is accessed. Each user interface control (UIC) in the electronic document is confirmed to be operationally classified as signed or unsigned by a given digital signature based on whether the UIC is associated with a data node that is signed by the digital signature. It is then determined whether the signed UIC is visible. A token representing a geometric location of the visible signed UIC within a visual representation of the electronic document and a relative location of the visible signed UIC to other visible signed UICs in the electronic document is then recorded. However, if the UIC is contained within any hierarchic UICs, the location thereof is first converted to the geometric location within the visual representation prior to recording the token. The digital signature can then be generated and/or validated unless a UIC overlap and/or layout violation is committed.
US07975137B2
A method, a system, and a computer program product for access control using resource filters for a strict separation of application and security logic are described. The computer-implemented method for access control may include receiving at least one access request to at least one resource from an application; providing a resource hierarchy for the at least one resource, the resource having at least one resource class, wherein the resource hierarchy is defined in a single resource; providing a policy comprising at least one access control rule for accessing at least one element of the at least one resource class; verifying the at least one access request based on the policy through an authorization service; and processing the at least one access request through a service interface.
US07975134B2
A macroscalar processor architecture is described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary processor includes one or more execution units to execute instructions and one or more iteration units coupled to the execution units. The one or more iteration units receive one or more primary instructions of a program loop that comprise a machine executable program. For each of the primary instructions received, at least one of the iteration units generates multiple secondary instructions that correspond to multiple loop iterations of the task of the respective primary instruction when executed by the one or more execution units. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07975116B2
A storage device system includes an information processing device, a first storage device equipped with a first storage volume, and a second storage device equipped with a second storage volume. The information processing device and the first storage device are communicatively connected to one another. Also, the first storage device and the second storage device are communicatively connected to one another. The information processing device is equipped with a first write request section that requests to write data in the first storage device according to a first communications protocol, and a second write request section that requests to write data in the second storage device according to a second communications protocol. The information processing device creates first data including a first instruction to be executed in the second storage device.
US07975109B2
A data processing system includes one or more nodes, each node including a memory sub-system. The sub-system includes a fine-grained, memory, and a less-fine-grained (e.g., page-based) memory. The fine-grained memory optionally serves as a cache and/or as a write buffer for the page-based memory. Software executing on the system uses a node address space which enables access to the page-based memories of all nodes. Each node optionally provides ACID memory properties for at least a portion of the space. In at least a portion of the space, memory elements are mapped to locations in the page-based memory. In various embodiments, some of the elements are compressed, the compressed elements are packed into pages, the pages are written into available locations in the page-based memory, and a map maintains an association between the some of the elements and the locations.
US07975103B2
A method for optimized data record verification when processing data-chained channel control words that span a single count field is provided. The method includes reading a first portion of a count field into a sequence buffer memory buffer and a store count field buffer. The first portion of the count field is copied to a local memory location. A first starting offset based on a size of the first portion of the count field is determined. The first portion of the count field is read into a sequence buffer memory bit bucket. A second portion of the count field, beginning at the first starting offset, is read into the sequence buffer memory buffer and the store count field buffer. The second portion of the count field is copied from the store count field buffer into the local memory location.
US07975092B2
The invention provides a bus interface converter for converting from AMBA AHB bus protocol to i960-like bus protocol. The converter comprises an AHB interface which can accomplish interface processing for AMBA AHB bus protocol; an i960-like interface which can accomplish interface processing for i960-like bus protocol; and a main controller which can accomplish protocol converting between the AHB interface and the i960-like interface, wherein the AHB interface comprises an AHB bus signal register module which can judge and register control signal from AMBA AHB bus; and an AHB bus signal response module which can generate corresponding response indicating signal of AMBA AHB bus protocol.
US07975091B2
According to one embodiment, an information processor has: an input/output module configured to input/output a data signal through a data signal line; a first voltage supply module configured to supply a first differential signal pair; a second voltage supply module configured to supply a second differential signal pair; a first switching module configured to select and output, in response to a first control signal, one of the first differential signal pair supplied from the first voltage supply module and the second differential signal pair supplied from the second voltage supply module; and a second switching module configured to receive one of the first differential signal pair and the second differential signal pair output from the first switching module, and output one of the first differential signal pair and the second differential signal pair to the electronic device through the data signal line, in response to a second control signal.
US07975089B2
A computer dock has a lock slot and media on which driver code is encoded. When a lock is inserted into the slot, it causes a switch to open so as to disconnect the media from a docking port of the dock. When the lock is not inserted into the slot, the media is connected to the docking port.
US07975087B2
A control and communication unit is provided between a terminal and at least one microcircuit card. The unit includes a control module for a number of input signals to the card; a module for generation of a number of time diagrams for the card communication protocols; a request generation module for transmission and reception of characters based on information received from the control module, the requests being transmitted to an external module; and an interruption generation module for creating an interruption in the case of an error in a time diagram or a character received or transmitted, based on information received from the control module and for processing the interruption without a loss of characters. The generation of an interruption does not cause an interruption in the process of request generation.
US07975083B2
Buffers of programmable depths are used in the instruction and reply paths of cascaded devices to account for possible differences in latencies between the devices. The buffers may be enabled or bypassed such that the alignment of instruction and result may be performed at the boundaries between separate groups of devices having different instruction latencies.
US07975082B2
A system and method of deterministically transferring data across a first clock domain to a second clock domain includes receiving a resynchronize command, initiating a corresponding one of a plurality of read delays in each one of a second plurality of devices in the second clock domain, counting down the plurality of read delays to zero, receiving a training pattern after the plurality of read delays count down to zero in each one of the second plurality of devices, recovering a clock data in each of the second plurality of devices, receiving a synch byte by each of the second plurality of devices, selecting one of a plurality of serial lanes as a reference lane, wherein the plurality of serial lanes couple the first clock domain to the second clock domain, initiating a write pointer, writing n bytes of serial data to a buffer and converting the n bytes of data from serial data to parallel data in a serial to parallel converter such that the serial n byte data in the buffer are aligned in time.
US07975076B2
When a subject of access of a transaction from an IO device is not any resource allocated to a logical partition to which the device having issued the transaction belongs, a report as an error is sent to a CPU, while the transaction is finished on the IO bus. To prevent a transaction between IO devices from gaining access to any resource in another logical partition, one access permission bit is provided for each combination of all the IO devices, and the access is permitted only when the bit has a predetermined value. A reset signal is provided by IO slot so that only an IO slot allocated to a specific logical partition can be reset without affecting any other logical partition. A transaction issued from an IO device in one logical partition is prevented from gaining access to a resource in another logical partition, while proper error handling can be performed.
US07975075B2
A method and system for performing serial data communication between a main device and an external module connected to the main device. The data communication system and method include a main device, and an external module connected to the main device and communicating data with the main device. The external module transmits its identification information to the main device before the external module and the main device communicate the data between each other, and the main device receives the identification information from the external module, confirms its connection to the external module, and transmits an identification information confirmation signal to the external module.
US07975072B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for scheduling an event. The method includes signaling a request from a first computer to schedule an event to a second computer. A schedule is then received from the second, the schedule includes indicators of available time periods in the calendar period from the second computer. A consolidated schedule is then generated. The consolidated schedule comprises information comparing the indicators of available time periods from the second computer with indicators of available time periods from the first computer.
US07975066B2
A system and method for implementing functionality within a network on behalf of first and second computers communicating with each other through the network. A front-end computer is provided within the network having an interface for communicating data traffic with the first computer. A back-end computer is also implemented within the network having an interface for communicating data traffic with the second computer. A communication channel couples the front-end computer and the back-end computer. Data traffic is encoded over the communication channel in a first process in the front-end computer. Data traffic is also encoded over the communication channel in a second process in the back-end computer, wherein the first process and the second process implement compatible semantics.
US07975065B2
Files are divided into parts and at least some of the parts are transmitted to a client using a communication channel. At least some of the transmitted parts are cached locally. This allows subsequent streaming playback of the file while using less bandwidth by transmitting the part of the file that hasn't been cached, and combining the cached parts with the transmitted parts. In some embodiments, files may be represented at a low quality level by a first data set, and at higher quality levels with additional data sets. Data sets are cached locally, so that during subsequent streaming playback of the file, the quality level of the playback may be improved by sending additional data sets using bandwidth that would otherwise be dedicated to transmitting the cached data sets.
US07975056B2
The present invention comprises a method of and apparatus for simplifying the process of access to a network for a roaming computer user, divides the responsibility of servicing a given user wanting to access the network between multiple parties and minimizes the possibility of improper dissemination of email header data as well as improper use of network resources (including server systems) by non-clients.
US07975055B2
An electronic device is operated by establishing a communication session between the electronic device and a requesting device using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), providing an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the electronic device to the requesting device using the SIP, receiving a request addressed to the electronic device using the IP address from the requesting device, and conveying the Web service to the requesting device responsive to receiving the request.
US07975054B2
A network device obtains capability information of a device existing on a network, activates/inactivates one of a plurality of types of communication middleware on the basis of the obtained capability information, and executes communication between devices across the network by using the communication middleware. The network device also analyses a protocol used by communication middleware of another device on the network, and corrects the corresponding communication middleware in accordance with the result of analysis.
US07975034B1
A method to secure data and hardware associated with a computing device is described. A request to initiate a secondary operating system is received. The secondary operating system may be partitioned from a primary operating system. In one embodiment, a reporting program may be executed on the secondary operating system and may also be isolated from the primary operating system. A determination may be made as to whether characteristics of the secondary operating system have been altered. The request to initiate the secondary operating system may be denied if characteristics of the secondary operating system have been altered. However, the secondary operating system may be initiated if characteristics of the secondary operating system have not been altered. In addition, the primary operating system may be initiated if characteristics of the secondary operating system have not been altered.
US07975031B2
Method, server, and computer product are provided to implement change management across domains. Memory is included for storing a program. A processor is functionally coupled to the memory and is responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program. The processor is operative to announce planned changes for a configuration item to interested outside domains, and the configuration item is in an inside domain. Open subscription is provided to the interested outside domains such that the interested outside domains can subscribe to the subscription as participants. A change instance is created or the configuration item in the inside domain. Change progress of the change instance is reported for the configuration item to the participants of the interested outside domains. State progress notifications are distributed to the participants of the change. The change instance is executed to make planned changes to the configuration item.
US07975027B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for credit depletion notification for transmitting frames between a port pair. Credits indicate a number of outstanding frames a first device may transmit to a second device. The credits are decremented in response to transmitting a frame to the second device. The credits are incremented in response to receiving a ready code from the second device indicating that the second device processed the transmitted frame. A determination is made as to whether additional credits are needed for communicating frames from the first device to the second device. A credit depletion notification is sent to the second device in response to determining that the additional credits are needed for communication with the second device.
US07975025B1
A method, system, an apparatus are directed towards selectively prefetching content over a network. A request for a content object is received. The content object may comprise a link to another content object. A cachability measure for the link may be determined based on whether a plurality of previous requests for the link returned the other content object, an annotation in a link map, a probability of traversing the link, a network metric, or the like. A prefetchability measure for the link may be determined based on the cachability measure and/or another factor relating to the link. The other factor may be an annotation of the link indicating that caching the other content object will cause a related object to be uncachable. Based on the prefetchability measure, the other content object is selectively prefetched for subsequent provisioning and/or display.
US07975016B2
The invention relates to a method of managing a distributed computer system, comprising a group of nodes. The method comprises the following steps: a. sending a candidates master message from a given one of the node to other nodes in the group (906), b. recording receipt in the given node of candidate master messages from other nodes, until a first end-of-receipt condition is met, and c. upon receipt of candidate master message from other nodes at step b., starting in the given node a master election scheme between the given node and such other nodes having sent candidate master messages. The invention also relates to a corresponding distributed computer system.
US07975011B2
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided that combines a software application framework within a variety of consumer communication devices to provide enhanced functionality. The enhanced functionality devices can then be controlled and integrated into an Internet based application and delivery service, connected by various networking technologies including, e.g., broadband communication systems. Centralized and distributed services allow a user to modify a variety of parameters that will ultimately control how information is delivered. The solution can also be controlled by service providers as a method for integrating their existing application infrastructure and potentially new applications within an overall broadband communication service.
US07975007B2
Systems and methods for carrying on marketing dialogues are disclosed. Specifically, embodiments of the systems and methods presented may allow marketing dialogues to be carried on with a set of participants by sending a communication to each of the participants. Another set of participant may be assembled from the initial participants and an action may then be taken with respect to this second set of participants.
US07975003B1
A method to facilitate determination of an extent to which payment should be exchanged between the access provider and the content provider for delivery of content items to the client stations. Each client station will be provisioned with a list of available content items, including for each a flag and/or other data specifying whether the content item is payable or non-payable. When the client station sends a content request seeking a particular one of the content items, the client station includes the flag or other data. As the content request passes through the access provider's system on the way to the content provider, the access provider then reads the flag or other data to determine whether the content item is payable and perhaps an applicable payment amount. The access provider may thereby maintain a count of payable content transactions and/or other data to facilitate proper payment.
US07974993B2
A system for supporting version management is provided. The system includes a first application having a plurality of versions. Each of the plurality of versions is associated with a separate a version-specific assembly. A loader is configured to load one of the version-specific assemblies, the assembly then being utilized as a basis for deriving an object from a database associated with the first application. The object is provided to a second application, typically in response to a corresponding request.
US07974976B2
A system and method for deriving user intent from a query. The system includes a query engine, and an advertisement engine. The query engine receives a query from the user. The query engine analyzes the query to determine a query intent that is matched to a domain. The query may be further analyzed to derive predicate values based on the query and the domain hierarchy. The domain and associated information may then be matched to a list of advertisements. The advertisement may be assigned an ad match score based on a correlation between the query information and various listing information provided in the advertisement.
US07974974B2
Techniques to perform relative ranking for search results are described. An apparatus may include an enhanced search component operative to receive a search query and provide ranked search results responsive to the search query. The enhanced search component may comprise a resource search module operative to search for resources using multiple search terms from the search query, and output a set of resources having some or all of the search terms. The enhanced search component may also comprise a proximity generation module communicatively coupled to the resource search module, the proximity generation module operative to receive the set of resources, retrieve search term position information for each resource, and generate a proximity feature value based on the search term position information. The enhanced search component may further comprise a resource ranking module communicatively coupled to the resource search module and the proximity generation module, the resource ranking module to receive the proximity feature values, and rank the resources based in part on the proximity feature values. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07974968B2
A pre-pass and direct call mechanism which replaces the interpreter. The mechanism moves static decisions out of the repeated runtime path, into a pre-pass operation. Advantageously, the mechanism reduces runtime overhead, and improves overall performance of the DBMS during runtime, while maintaining the considerable investment in opcode generation and plan representation, already invested in the implementation of the DBMS.
US07974962B2
The present invention is directed to a search engine for a video recorder. One embodiment of the present invention operates in an environment that includes one or more set-top boxes connected to or integrated within one or more output devices. The set-top boxes are used to transfer shows from a broadcast input source to one or more types of storage devices and to play back the shows from the storage devices to the output devices, either in a delayed-live fashion or at a later time of the user's choosing. The set-top box displays a graphical user interface (GUI), which gives the user the ability to watch and/or record timeslot based programming, to order on-demand programming, and to playback previously recorded shows that reside on a local or remote storage device. A search engine is added to the GUI that lets the search for shows and receive results in an enhanced manner.
US07974957B2
A method and system for ranking pages of a search result based on the mobile readiness of the pages is provided. A mobile-readiness system receives an indication of pages that are to be ranked. The mobile-readiness system evaluates the mobile readiness for each of the pages. Mobile readiness indicates suitability of the page for a mobile device. The mobile readiness system then ranks the pages based on the generated mobile readiness and some other criterion such as a relevance score or an importance score. The mobile-readiness system may train a classifier to classify pages based on their mobile readiness.
US07974951B2
A system for onsite backup of internet-based data is provided. The system includes a central computer, a client computer, a communications link between the central computer and the Internet, and a communications link between the client computer and the Internet. The system also includes at least one database containing a plurality of data records accessible by the central computer, each data record containing a client identification number. Software executing on the central computer receives a data backup request, and software executing on the central computer transmits the data backup to the client computer.
US07974947B2
A system for synchronizing data on a first device with data at a second device, includes: determining a pre-image of the data on the first device according to a filter after a previous synchronization with the data at the second device; determining a current image of the data at the second device according to the filter; determining a delta of the current image, where the delta comprises data that exists in the current image and has changed since the previous synchronization; instructing the first device to delete data that exists in the pre-image but not in the current image; and instructing the first device to UPSERT a union of the data that exists in the delta and the data that exists in the current image but not the pre-image. This is efficient in time and bandwidth resources while also providing consistent data integrity.
US07974945B2
A system and method enable a BlackBerry device to communicate with and be synchronized with a Macintosh computer.
US07974943B2
One embodiment is a method that builds a target database with transaction logs from an online source database. The transaction logs include both existing data in the source database and updates that occur to the source database while the target database is being built.
US07974938B2
A method and system for storing episodic sequences (events and actions). The system learns episodic sequencing by observing real-world events and actions or by receiving fact data from a database storing common sense facts. The episodic sequences are classified into events and actions, processed to indicate correlations and causality between the events and actions, and generated into linked graphs. The linked graphs may then be used to draw inferences, recognize patterns, and make decisions.
US07974929B2
A personal device is provided. The personal device includes an identification verification system that receives first identification data from a physical identification device, such as by inserting a driver's license into a card reader that is adapted to receive a driver's license. Second identification data such as a PIN number is also received. Payment authorization data or other suitable data is generated if the driver's license corresponds to the PIN. A payment selection system or other suitable system receives the payment authorization data and displays one or more payment accounts for selection by a user. Where a payment selection system is used, the payment selection system transmits payment account data to a point-of-sale system.
US07974921B1
A system and method to produce and use new bank checks with magnetized strips (30) and/or storage chips (33) to avoid forging in the checks and to confirm immediately upon introducing them for negotiation, whether or not sufficient funds are available. The bank check system comprises issued bank checks whose front and rear faces carry imprinted visible data (11-21) and a magnetic strip (30) and/or storage chip (33) containing stored encoded data readable by a reader so it can be checked for conformity with the visible data (11-21) to detect any unauthorized alterations to the check. The visible data (11-21) and stored encoded data include an identification of a check (19), account, drawer (15) and bank (16). The new checks include checks with a maximum value, or a fixed value that is pre-paid and blocked in the drawer's account, and “ordinary” checks, enabling to check whether the checks to be paid with a sufficient blocked amount. The invention includes a control bank system and the usage of the reader devices to confirm the correctness and safety of these checks, and can be negotiated immediately. The checks according to the invention can be made of plastic, or paper merged with plastic or any other material. The plastic in the edges of the plastic checks are thicker and non-covered with paper to carry the magnetized strip and/or storage chip, in accordance with standard specifications compatible with the reader devices.
US07974915B2
Trading software may receive trading information from an exchange. The trading software may use the trading information to compute an estimate of last traded total sweep quantity. The trading software may also display the last traded total sweep quantity on a trading screen.
US07974914B2
A system comprises a memory operable to store a trading order for a particular quantity of a trading product, wherein a first portion of the particular quantity is a displayed quantity and a second portion of the particular quantity is a reserved quantity. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to disclose the displayed quantity to one or more market centers. The processor is further operable to identify a decay rate associated with the trading order. The processor is further operable to cause the reserved quantity to decay based at least in part on the identified decay rate.
US07974897B2
In accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention, a DVP repo and tri-party repo hybrid transaction is provided as well as a process for facilitating and processing such a hybrid transaction, referred to herein as a “tri-party hybrid repo” transaction.
US07974894B2
Methods and systems for classifying entities according to metrics of earnings quality are provided. At least one value corresponding to earnings quality of an entity is generated based on at least one metric of accruals, and the entity is classified according to the at least one value. For example, the entity may be classified according to the value as likely to have overstated its earnings and/or as likely to experience one or more business outcomes (e.g., a change in stock price, SEC enforcement action, and/or class-action lawsuit). As another example, multiple entities may be separated into various classes by ranking the entities according to their respective values. Such a ranking may provide useful heuristics regarding whether the entities have manipulated (e.g., overstated or understated) their earnings. Information about the classification may be made available for a fee and may allow parties to make better business and regulatory decisions.
US07974893B2
A system and method for identifying incoming ACH transactions involving subscriber accounts at a financial institution, comparing the ACH transaction details with preset notification criteria, suspending any ACH transaction that satisfy the preset criteria so that the transaction does not post to the account, notifying the subscriber of the incoming ACH transaction, providing the subscriber with the option to either authorize or dispute the ACH transaction, and facilitating the dispute process according to applicable banking rules by requesting further information from the subscriber and forwarding the dispute information to the ACH operator.
US07974881B2
A method and system for presenting nutritional information about food products. The method involves gathering nutritional data about food products, analyzing that data to determine a nutritional value, scoring the product, and applying a designation reflecting the nutritional score. The nutritional value score designation is then displayed at the point of sale for observation by customers. The system includes a data gathering function, a data analyzing function, a data storing function, a scoring function, a reporting function and a display function to perform the steps of the method described.
US07974880B2
A system for updating advertisement bids including a query engine and an advertisement selection engine. The query engine provides an advertisement query to the advertisement selection engine. The advertisement selection engine includes a query processing module that retrieves advertisements associated with the advertisement query based on bids. The bid update module generates a suggested bid for an advertiser. The bid update module may be configured to automatically update the current bid for an advertisement based on the suggested bid. Further, the bid update module may be configured to determine the suggested bid by calculating a maximum profit position for the advertisement and projecting an envy free point for the maximum profit position.
US07974877B2
Graphical visual representations of electronic business cards may be generated from associated contact file information. Electronic business cards may be sent and received over digital media. Contacts information associated with received electronic business cards may be used for adding to or updating information contained in a recipient's electronic contact files.
US07974873B2
Embodiments are directed towards dynamically determining a merchant to provide just in time (JIT) goods/services/appointments to a mobile customer by seeking to minimize the mobile customer's wait time or optimizing another parameter. A registered user may place an order with a JIT service for a good/server using a mobile device. The JIT service determines a merchant/location that may satisfy the order based on attempting to minimize the user's wait time. At any time before a locktime is reached, the JIT service, the selected merchant location, and/or the user may modify the request. For example, the JIT service may select another merchant location to satisfy the request based on dynamically updating wait times at the selected location and other possible merchant locations, as well as other parameters. The JIT service may also track behaviors of the user to suggest recurring orders, modifications to orders, or changes in merchant locations.
US07974870B2
A server device includes an activity content evaluation unit, an activity pattern analyzing unit, an evaluation report creating unit, and an evaluation report sending unit, and is connected to an activity management information DB, which has activity management information for managing activity content of each salesperson registered. The server device evaluates the activity content of each salesperson based on the activity management information in the activity management information DB, and creates evaluation report information from the evaluation results. The server device analyzes the activity pattern of salespeople that have a number equal to or higher than a predetermined number of agreements reached in sales negotiations, based on the activity management information in the activity management information DB, generates advise information towards each salesperson from the analysis, and sends the evaluation report information, adding the generated advise information thereto, to a terminal device of the salesperson.
US07974869B1
The present invention is a method and system for forecasting the behavioral characterization of customers to help customize programming contents on each means for playing output of each site of a plurality of sites in a media network through automatically measuring, characterizing, and forecasting the behavioral information of customers that appear in the vicinity of each means for playing output. The analysis of behavioral information of customers is performed automatically based on the visual information of the customers, using a plurality of means for capturing images and a plurality of computer vision technologies on the visual information. The measurement of the behavioral information is performed in each measured node, where the node is defined as means for playing output. Extrapolation of the measurement characterizes the behavioral information per each node of a plurality of nodes in a site of a plurality of sites of a media network. The forecasting and customization of the programming contents is based on the characterization of the behavioral information.
US07974864B2
Disclosed is a business driven learning solution and related methods for managing the learning and training needs of a sales-oriented organization in a manner that is responsive to dynamic business needs. The invention employs modules of interrelated and interdependent business processes for the identification and prioritization of learning needs, the selection of learning approaches, the development of learning content, the coordination and delivery of learning instruction, and the overall management and administration learning efforts. Embodiments of the inventions disclosed include sales training objects to provide a template for sales training that is focused on a solution, and how to position and sell the solution, rather than on the products that make up the solution. As a result, the sales force is educated, understands the customers' business requirements, and is able to craft specific value propositions to a given customer with respect to that solution. Thus, the training is customer-centric as opposed to product-centric.
US07974853B1
A computer-based method for generating standardized emission reduction credits includes the steps of receiving site-specific data with respect to a geographic location regarding at least one variable impacting reduction of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, retrieving data general to a geographic region encompassing the location regarding at least one variable impacting the nitrous oxide, processing the site-specific and the general data through a model running on a computer, to determine an approximate change in impact on the nitrous oxide at the location over a specified time period, conducting an uncertainty analysis on the approximate change at the location over the specified time period, via the computer, from the uncertainty analysis, identifying a quantity of emission reduction credits meeting an established standard of certainty as the standardized emission reduction credits; and reporting from the computer the identified quantity of the standardized emission reduction credits.
US07974850B2
A tool which provides counsel with a data collection mechanism to guide them through various steps in the litigation process and directs counsel and/or legal assistants to determine what information is required. The tool provides a “Discovery Generator” that is available to capture counsel's potential discovery requests, which are linked to existing document and form production tools for facilitated production of discovery. The tool informs the user of the percentage of progress of the required information that has been entered. The tool provides an analytical framework that captures the judgment of seasoned practitioners to provide a comprehensive analysis of the legal, factual, and business aspects of the lawsuit. The tool provides methodologies that quantify subjective analyses through the use of weighted measuring schemes. The tool provides a decision tree structure underlying the various steps of the methodology activated by user's answers to queries to aid in the capture and analysis of information. To do this the tool directs counsel to assign values to reflect the importance of various aspects of the litigation. Based on the values that are assigned, counsel's assessment of the particular aspect of the litigation which is captured through the queries mentioned above, and statistical assessments of likely outcomes based on historical records of previously captured information and analogous assessments, the tool provides counsel with suggested paths forward. This process occurs on both a step by step basis as well as with an overall assessment of the case.
US07974844B2
A speech recognition apparatus includes a first-candidate selecting unit that selects a recognition result of a first speech from first recognition candidates based on likelihood of the first recognition candidates; a second-candidate selecting unit that extracts recognition candidates of a object word contained in the first speech and recognition candidates of a clue word from second recognition candidates, acquires the relevance ratio associated with the semantic relation between the extracted recognition candidates of the object word and the extracted recognition candidates of the clue word, and selects a recognition result of the second speech based on the acquired relevance ratio; a correction-portion identifying unit that identifies a portion corresponding to the object word in the first speech; and a correcting unit that corrects the word on identified portion.
US07974837B2
The encoding apparatus includes an MDCT unit which transforms an inputted audio signal into a frequency parameter, for every predetermined time-frequency transformation frame length, and an MDCT coefficient encoding unit which encodes the frequency parameter. The encoding apparatus also includes a pitch cycle detection unit which detects a pitch cycle of the audio signal, a framing unit which frames the audio signal based on the detected pitch cycle, and a waveform modification unit which performs waveform modification on the audio signal framed based on the pitch cycle, in conformance with the time-frequency transformation frame length, and outputs the waveform-modified audio signal to the MDCT unit. A multiplex unit multiplexes the frequency parameter encoded by MDCT coefficient encoding unit and the pitch cycle, and outputs the multiplexed result as a bitstream.
US07974826B2
A computer-implemented method for modeling and/or improving operational performance of an energy system includes providing a graphical user interface configured to allow a user to manipulate equipment icons into an energy system model representation, using modular, piece-wise linear equipment models to simulate non-linear behavior of equipment represented by the manipulated equipment icons to solve an energy system model represented by the manipulation, and displaying a solution of the energy system model.
US07974823B1
In one embodiment, a design is verified by creating a graphical model with a graphical modeling tool executing on a computing device. The graphical model may include a plurality of model elements. A postcondition element is coupled to a selected model element of the plurality of model elements. The postcondition element is associated with a desired result. The graphical model is employed to generate an executable form of the design. The executable form of the design and an indication of the desired result are provided to a verification tool, to instruct the verification tool to implement one or more verification scenarios.
US07974821B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products for generating a vector-based representation of a lens flare are provided. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes presenting a plurality of visually rendered wire frame shapes, each one of the plurality of visually rendered wire frame shapes having a geometric correspondence with a lens flare component, each lens flare component being one of: a center point, a flare ring, a flare ray, or a halo, receiving a first input to manipulate a first visually rendered wire frame shape in the plurality of visually rendered wire frame shapes to interactively change the position or form of a first corresponding lens flare component, and presenting a visual rendering of the first corresponding lens flare component where the visual rendering reflects the change in the position or the form of the first corresponding lens flare component.
US07974819B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide computer readable media encoded with executable instructions for modeling an intensity profile at a surface illuminated by an illumination source through a mask. Further embodiments provide methods for correcting a mask pattern and methods for selecting an illumination source. Still further embodiments provide masks and integrated circuits produced using a model of the illumination source. Embodiments of the present invention take into account the polarization of the illumination source and are able to model the effect of polarization on the resultant intensity profile.
US07974818B2
A solidification analysis method of a cast that can predict a molten temperature drop history with fine precision is disclosed. The analysis is performed by considering different latent heat emitting patterns according to the differences of the cooling speeds. An analysis model having a plurality of elements is used. A cooling speed is calculated in each element by performing a calculation of heat transfer between the elements adjacent to each other. A temperature fluctuation range is revised in each element when a temperature fluctuates from emission of solidification latent heat based on the calculated cooling speed and a predetermined fraction solid-temperature curve of a molten alloy. A solidification analysis of the analysis model is performed by using the revised temperature fluctuation range.
US07974814B2
A method and system for of fusing the outputs of multiple sensors. The output of each sensor including a sensor class probability vector based on each sensor's classification database is input to a fusion engine which estimates a base class probability vector based on the sensor class probabilities output by the sensors and a preconfigured base database including base classes.
US07974809B2
Systems and methods for monitoring, managing, and testing power systems are disclosed. In various embodiments, a site server collects data from one or more generators, automatic transfer switches, sensors, and cameras at a site. The site server stores captured data and triggers alarm events when preselected limits are exceeded. The site server also enables users to configure, initiate, pause, resume, monitor, and abort scripted tests of the monitored entities. In some of these and other embodiments, an enterprise-wide server collects data from multiple site servers, makes the data available via a web-based or other client interface, and provides consolidated monitoring, alarm, test management, and management resources.
US07974803B2
This improved method of calibrating wood testing machines includes improved test bars, shim and software to direct the operator through the steps of calibration, storing interim results and calculating new calibration factors based on values read when the test bars are placed in the wood testing machine. This method avoids a number of problems in previous methods and apparatus. It properly corrects for changes in deflection in the measurement apparatus and changes in straightness of the test bars. The result is a more stable and reliable calibration that is referenced to precise measurement of the EI product for the test bar.
US07974798B2
An intelligent electronic device (IED) having a gain control unit adapted to selectively regulate operating ranges of output signals of a sensing circuit of the device is described. In one embodiment, the IED is a digital electric power and energy meter, which operating ranges for supply voltages and supply currents of electrical services may be adjusted to match pre-determined ranges for input signals of a data acquisition system or a data processing module of the meter.
US07974795B2
When discharge power calculated based on a current value detected by a current detector is smaller than expected maximum power, which is the maximum power expected in an actual operation, a discharge efficiency at the expected maximum power is set as a discharge efficiency used for remaining capacity calculation. This ensures that a remaining capacity based on power required for a photographing operation can be detected.
US07974787B2
Methods, computer program products, and systems are described that include detecting at least one indication of bioactive agent use by an individual and/or altering an artificial sensory experience to modify at least one effect of the bioactive agent.
US07974785B2
Method for evaluating fluid pressures in an underground zone by means of seismic and well data. The zone studied is divided into several time analysis intervals. For each of these intervals, a pre-stack stratigraphic inversion of the seismic data is then carried out using geological a priori information, and a lithoseismic facies cube is determined by lithoseismic analysis. Then, for each facies, relations connecting the seismic impedances of wells to differential pressures in wells are determined in each analysis interval. Finally, a differential pressure cube is determined using the previous relations, as well as a confining pressure cube, in order to determine the fluid pressures in the subsoil by simple difference between these two cubes. Application: petroleum sphere for the detection of overpressure zones during drilling for example.
US07974784B2
A collision predicting apparatus detects subject targets present in the traveling course of the own vehicle by using the relative distance and the relative velocity, etc. The apparatus also calculates the predicted collision time of each subject target on the basis of the relative distance and the relative velocity. The apparatus also detects the relative lateral position of each subject target, and corrects the relative lateral position. The apparatus then executes a collision-predicted target selecting routine, in which the predicted collision time of each subject target that does not meet a predetermined condition is set at a predetermined maximum value. The apparatus selects a subject target that meets the predetermined condition as a collision subject target, and predicts whether the collision subject target will collide with the own vehicle.
US07974783B2
In order to determine an easily perceived display image for a driver assistance system, in particular a distance-measuring system or a parking assistant, a method makes use of the determination of Bezier curves on the basis of measured distance values on various measuring lines. Wherein different variants for the selection of the reference points and the curve edge points are available for the modeling and parameterization of the Bezier curves taking into account the respective current situation. It is also possible for object positions not to be taken into account under certain conditions in order to obtain smooth illustrative curves.
US07974781B2
Navigation apparatuses, methods, and programs set a reference point at an intersection and set a region extending ahead of the vehicle in a direction in which the vehicle enters the intersection, the region including the reference point. Then, the apparatuses, methods, and programs obtain 3D map data of the region, generate a 3D movie which has a predetermined viewpoint on the basis of the obtained 3D map data, and display the generated 3D movie.
US07974780B2
Navigation systems, methods and programs detect the current location of a vehicle and search a route to a destination based on the current location. The systems, methods, and programs set a guidance intersection based on the searched route, set a route guidance point at a predetermined point before the guidance intersection, and provide route guidance through the guidance intersection when the vehicle reaches the route guidance point. The systems, methods, and programs determine whether the guidance intersection is a guidance intersection where lane planning can be readily performed by a user, even if lane guidance is not performed by the controller. The systems, methods, and programs prevent lane guidance at the predetermined route guidance point from being performed if it is determined that lane planning can be readily performed by the user at the guidance intersection.
US07974774B2
A system for operating a vehicle including an engine operating on at least one type of fuel is provided. The system includes a locator element to determine a location of the vehicle, a characterization element to provide information about a terrain of the vehicle, a database to store characteristic information for each type of fuel, and a processor operable to receive information from the locator element, the characterization element, and the database. An algorithm is embodied within the processor with access to the information for creating a trip plan that optimizes performance of the vehicle in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the vehicle.
US07974765B2
A fuel delivery approach for an engine includes delivering a first fuel blend from a first, lower alcohol fuel tank to a port injector; delivering a second, higher alcohol, fuel to a direct injector, and transferring the first fuel from the first tank to the second tank so that the first tank is emptied before the second. In this way, at least some fuel is available for direct injection even when the higher alcohol fuel is exhausted prior to the lower alcohol fuel. Thus, it is possible to at least obtain charge cooling benefits of direct injection, and therefore the engine may be operated with a greater amount of boost.
US07974749B2
A diagnostic system for a vehicle includes a first sensor that generates a first status signal, which is indicative of an engine speed of an engine. A second sensor generates a second status signal that is indicative of an actual accessory speed of an accessory. The accessory is coupled to the engine via a belt system. A control module determines an expected accessory speed based on the engine speed and determines a residual accessory speed based on the expected and actual accessory speeds. The control module also detects a fault in the belt system based on the residual accessory speed.
US07974748B2
A driver assistance system with an architecture of general use for applications related to driver assistance, passenger safety and comfort and communication with external systems, e.g. for diagnosis and maintenance purposes, comprises (in one embodiment): a first interface for sensing external signals coming from the environment of a vehicle, a second interface for sensing internal signals of the vehicle, a first subsystem for fusing the output signals of the first interface and the second interface in order to generate a representation of the vehicle's environment, a second subsystem for modeling the current state of the vehicle being provided with the output signals of the first subsystem, a third subsystem for modeling the behavior of a driver, a fourth subsystem for interpreting the current scene represented by the first subsystem in order to determine characteristic states of the current external situation of the vehicle, and a fifth subsystem that generates stimuli for the actuators of the vehicle and/or the driver based on the output signals of the second, the third and the fourth subsystem.
US07974744B2
A system and method for parsing a set of archived telemetry streams for the purpose of reconstructing the data contained within the set of archived telemetry streams into a newly constructed set of telemetry streams. The newly constructed set of telemetry streams are used as a set of test driver data to evaluate performance in variety of ground based systems. The availability of test drivers produced by the preferred embodiment of the invention shortens the system development time line by allowing an evaluation of hardware and software changes ahead of the actual delivery of vehicle telemetry components, resulting in a reduction of overall program costs.
US07974743B2
A temperature controlling apparatus determines a fan rotation speed from a surrounding noise and a fan noise, measures a temperature of a large scale integration (LSI) device or the like that is a controlled object, determines, in a cooling capacity range of the determined fan rotation speed, an operating clock frequency that falls within an allowable temperature range, and controls the LSI to be connected.
US07974734B2
Control system of an electronic instrument for metrological measurements, comprising an electronic local processing unit including a handling application of said instrument. The system includes a control application for said handling application, which can be associated with said local processing unit, said control application being suitable for generating a univocal certification code for the application.
US07974727B2
Volume element printing system with printhead groups of varying vertical displacement from substrate
A volume element (voxel) printing system for printing a three-dimensional object includes a first printhead group having a plurality of first printheads configured to print a first voxel layer on a substrate; at least one second printhead group having a plurality of second printheads downstream from the first group, the second printhead group configured to print a subsequent voxel layer on at least part of the first layer, said second printheads being reconfigurable as backup printheads for the first printheads in case of failure; a conveyor configured to convey the substrate past the printhead groups; and a control system configured to control and monitor the printhead groups, the object insertion device, and the conveyor, and dynamically to reconfigure the second printheads upon detection of failure of a first printhead. The at least one second printhead group is vertically spaced from the substrate by a greater distance than the first printhead group.
US07974725B2
A method of testing a physical manufacturing automation system for manufactured work pieces is provided via a testing system and includes connecting a computer-simulated manufacturing automation system to a controller of the physical manufacturing automation system, wherein the computer-simulated manufacturing automation system is configured to represent a portion of the physical manufacturing automation system, including a simulated work piece. The method then includes concurrently running the physical manufacturing automation system and the computer-simulated manufacturing automation system via the controller, with the physical automation system running in the absence of the physical work pieces.
US07974720B2
This invention relates to a method for production planning in which changing demands and current demands are combined and separated into fixed demands, time-flexible demands, and quantity-flexible demands before being prioritized according to a set of rules that optimize efficient handling of changing demands while minimizing changes in and maximizing flexibility of a production schedule.
US07974718B2
A method for assembling a component including individual parts, includes making a plurality of the individual parts available in a plurality of respective containers. A control and display unit is assigned to each respective container. Each control and display unit includes a display element and a sensor associated with each container. The display element is activated on a respective container to indicate the individual part required for a next assembly step. The individual part is removed from the container indicated by the display element. The removal of the individual part is monitored by the sensor of the control and display unit. The component is assembled inside an assembly device during individual assembly steps. The assembly device is monitored with a sensor arrangement to determine whether each individual part required for assembling the component is available.
US07974707B2
An apparatus and system are provided for employing an electrode for delivering an electrical signal to a portion of a tissue of a patient's body. The electrode includes a first surface to electrically couple to the portion of an outer layer of the tissue. The electrode also includes a plurality of fibers or longitudinal elements coupled to the outer surface. The plurality of fibers or longitudinal elements are adapted to migrate to an interior portion of the tissue.
US07974706B2
A stimulation system is disclosed that may include a stimulator unit coupled to electrode contacts on a cuff. In one embodiment, the cuff may be placed at least partially around a nerve. The stimulation system may include at least two electrode contacts disposed on the cuff such that a distance between the at least two electrode contacts various along a length of the electrode contacts. In another embodiment, a plurality of electrode contacts are disposed on the cuff such that distances between at least one electrode contact within the plurality of electrode contacts and each electrode contact immediately adjacent to the at least one electrode contact are different. The stimulator unit may also be implantable.
US07974703B2
Techniques for shifting between two electrode combinations. An amplitude of a first electrode combination is incrementally decreased while an amplitude of a second, or subsequent, electrode combination is concurrently incrementally increased. Alternatively, an amplitude of the first electrode combination is maintained at a target amplitude level while the amplitude of the second electrode combination is incrementally increased. The stimulation pulses of the electrode combinations are delivered to the patient interleaved in time. In this manner, the invention provides for a smooth, gradual shift from a first electrode combination to a second electrode combination, allowing the patient to maintain a continual perception of stimulation. The shifting techniques described herein may be used during programming to shift between different electrode combinations to find an efficacious electrode combination. Additionally, the techniques may be used for shifting between different electrode combinations associated with different stimulation programs or program sets.
US07974695B2
A pacing system for providing optimal hemodynamic cardiac function for parameters such as ventricular synchrony or contractility (peak left ventricle pressure change during systole or LV+dp/dt), or stroke volume (aortic pulse pressure) using system for calculating atrio-ventricular delays for optimal timing of a ventricular pacing pulse. The system providing an option for near optimal pacing of multiple hemodynamic parameters. The system deriving the proper timing using electrical or mechanical events having a predictable relationship with an optimal ventricular pacing timing signal.
US07974687B1
Embodiments of the present invention are for use with implantable cardiac devices that discriminate between ventricular tachycardia (VT) and supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT). Discrimination between VT and SVT can be based on: a detected absence, presence or degree of T-wave alternans leading up to the onset of a detected tachycardia; a detected absence, presence or degree of T-wave variability leading up to the onset of the detected tachycardia; and/or a detected cardiac electrical stability leading up to the onset of the detected tachycardia.
US07974680B2
Assessment apparatus is provided, including a set of one or more radiators, which is adapted to generate an energy field at at least one fundamental frequency. A receiving sensor is adapted to generate a first signal responsive to the energy field when an interfering article is at a first location relative to the receiving sensor, and is adapted to generate a second signal responsive to the energy field when the interfering article is at a second location relative to the receiving sensor. A control unit is adapted to (a) receive and analyze the first and second signals, in order to compute a fingerprint signal characteristic of the interfering article, and (b) store, in a database, data indicative of the fingerprint signal, in association with an identity of the interfering article.
US07974674B2
A method of generating a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of a heart includes inserting an electrode within the portion of a heart, robotically moving the electrode therein, periodically detecting position information of the electrode to generate a plurality of location points defining a space occupied by the portion of the heart, and generating a three-dimensional model of the portion of the heart including position information for at least some of the plurality of location points within the portion of the heart. The plurality of location points includes at least some location points on the surface of the heart and at least some location points interior thereto. The model is generated by utilizing a surface construction algorithm such as a shrink-wrap algorithm to identify the surface points and isolate or eliminate the interior points.
US07974665B2
Provided is a dual-axis rotation folder-type mobile communication terminal including a main body, a folder rotatable about a first hinge axis having two positions respectively in a latitudinal direction and a longitudinal direction of the main body to open and close a top face of the main body, and a rotation hinge unit rotatable about a second hinge axis a predetermined degree to change a position of the first axis.
US07974663B2
A self-contained controller device for electronic devices is described herein. The controller device includes a fixed central mast that extends into the controller and acts as the core structural component for the controller. The controller's user movable casing is pivotally mounted about the mast with a pivot point where the user movable casing and the mast meet that is located at or above the surface of the electronic device. The internal components of the controller device include movement detection and measurement circuitry, a self-centering mechanism attached to the fixed central mast, and wires connecting the movement detection and measurement circuitry through the mast to device connection point(s) on the electronic device.
US07974658B2
The invention relates to a method and a system, for subterranean wireless data transmission between at least one mobile station and affixed network by means of a radio network for the monitoring and control of subterranean moving machines. The fixed network comprises a number of fixed base stations embodied as access points, each base station being connected to the fixed network by means of at least one data transmission connection, preferably by cable. Each base station and the mobile station comprise a transceiver device and the data transmission between the mobile station and the fixed network is achieved in a wireless manner over the radio network via at least one base station. On an interruption to the data transmission connection between the fixed network and a base station and/or on interruption of the radio connection between the mobile station and the base station, a data transmission between the mobile station and the fixed network is achieved via the separate base station and at least one further base station connected to the fixed network by means of an uninterrupted data transmission connection.
US07974645B2
A method of registering a mobile device in a mobile telecommunications network comprises the device's receiving power from a power source and transmitting a registration request signal including mobile device identification data, an associated mobile network determining a set of latitude and longitude location coordinates for the transmitting mobile device, comparing the determined set of latitude and longitude location coordinates with a table for matching the location coordinates with a service area code, determining a service area code responsive to the comparison, and storing the service area code, the mobile device identification data, the determined service area code and a location area code of the associated public mobile network for registering the mobile device in the associated mobile network. A related mobile device comprises a power source, a processor for determining whether power has been actuated, a global positioning system for determining a set of latitude and longitude location coordinates for the transmitting mobile device, the processor for comparing the determined set of latitude and longitude location coordinates with a table for matching the location coordinates with a service area code, determining a service area code responsive to the comparison and storing the service area code in memory of the mobile device.
US07974642B2
Systems and methods for estimating a cell center location in a wireless communication system having all interface to a satellite positioning system (“SPS”) such as for example, a Geosynchronous Positioning System (“GPS”). The wireless communication system provides service to mobile stations within a cell, each mobile station includes a SPS receiver. Examples of the systems and methods for estimating a cell center location analyze the mobile station locations in a cell as a uniform distribution of mobile station locations and calculate a statistical measure characterizing the mobile station locations as a function of the mobile station locations. In one example, the statistical measure is a maximum likelihood mobile station location. In another example, the statistical measure is the mean mobile station location in the cell. The estimated cell center location may be used to approximate the location of the mobile station during a warm or cold restart of the SPS receiver part of the mobile station.
US07974634B2
Embodiments described herein provide for conserving bandwidth. A cluster of cellular devices is identified. Each cellular device in the cluster may be within a given proximity from at least one other cellular device in the cluster. A seed is selected from the cluster of cellular devices. A schedule associated with a content item to be distributed to the cluster of cellular devices is identified. The schedule identifies which of the cellular devices in the cluster receive the content item. A cellular tower is instructed to transmit the content item and the schedule to the seed. Upon receiving the content item, the seed may forward the content item to another cellular device in the cluster according to the schedule.
US07974627B2
Various aspects are disclosed herein for determining a location estimate for multi-mode mobile devices using measurements from one or more radio access technologies and providing a combined location solution. Using the multiple radio access technology capability of the wireless communications system, a mobile communications device may be located on a first radio network characterized by a first radio modulation technique, radio network topology, and channel bandwidth. The mobile communications device may then be handed off to a second radio network and located using a second radio network characterized by a second radio modulation technique, radio network topology, and channel bandwidth. The two location estimates may then be used to develop a combined location estimate.
US07974626B2
A method and apparatus may improve success rate and time of call-setup while a mobile station is experiencing high interference. The method checks (255) if a mobile station is experiencing high-interference. This may occur when the mobile station fails to decode a paging channel of a serving cell (235) to read a first page. Upon determining that the mobile station is experiencing high-interference, the mobile station selects a set of cells (260) having the same location area identifier as the serving cell from a list of top neighboring cells, and selects a cell (265) from the set of cells, and synchronizes (270) with a base station of the selected cell. After synchronizing, the mobile station decodes the paging channel of the selected cell (275) and reads a second page from the paging channel of the selected cell including identical information data as the first page.
US07974625B2
A method for operating a wireless communication connection comprising a first device using a first standard for LANs and providing a first radio coverage area, a second device operating according to a second standard and providing a second radio coverage area, the first and the second coverage areas overlapping, a mobile device operable according to the first and the second standards and a central interface device between the LAN and a switched telephone network, a voice data transmission according to the first standard is prioritized by the mobile device. A measurement is performed and a message including the measurement result and topology information relating to the LAN is transmitted to the central device. The central device uses the message to decide for a changeover of the operation of an existing connection from the first area to the second area, the mobile device initiating the changeover based on the decision.
US07974624B2
Methods and messages for performing registration of mobile stations (MS) in an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN). URR (UMA radio resource) registration messages are exchanged between an MS and a UMA network controller (UNC) operating in the UMAN to register the MS. The MS may access the UMAN via a wireless access point (AP) that is communicatively coupled to the UNC via an IP network. The URR registration messages are sent between the MS and the UNC using an Up interface comprising a set of layered protocols over an underlying IP transport.
US07974607B2
A CPU 11, in the condition where the limited mode is not set, outputs the data arbitrarily selected by a user operation from a display unit 18 and a sound speaker 23, and in the condition where the limited mode is set, predetermined data is output instead of data specified by the user. As a result, in the case in which data is output according to the operation of a function included in an electronic device, even if no limitation is imposed to that function, the output of data or information, which the third party should not know about, can be prevented merely by setting the limited mode, in which limitations are imposed on the operation.
US07974600B2
It aims at preferentially dealing with emergency communication etc. by a simple and effective method when emergency communication etc. is initiated. In emergency situation, at a mobile station 200, a special call part 206 is switched from a normal mode to an emergency mode, and a mobile station side communication part 206 transmits a radio wave with a transmitted signal of high power (power spectrum density) at the center frequency f0 of a carrier wave. A base station 100 receives the radio wave with the transmitted signal of high power (power spectrum density) at the center frequency f0 of the carrier wave, from the mobile station 200 which output communication for emergency situation. The base station 100 outputs suppression signals for suppressing signal intensity to the other mobile stations. Only the mobile station 200 which transmitted the communication for emergency situation establishes a channel to the base station 100.
US07974598B2
This disclosure discloses methods and apparatus for calibrating received signal strength indicators.
US07974594B2
The present invention relates to a method for checking connectivity between a BSC (Base Station Controller) and an MSC (Mobile Switching Center), including: the MSC loopbacking a circuit and sending a connectivity check command to the BSC to instruct the BSC to perform the connectivity check; the BSC performing the connectivity check according to the connectivity check command; if the connectivity check is successful, the BSC sends a Connectivity Check Success identifier to the MSC to instruct the MSC to cancel the self-loop of the circuit; if the connectivity check fails, the BSC sends a Clear Request message to the MSC to release the communication connection and cancel the self-loop of the circuit. Embodiments of the present invention implement quick and convenient locating of connection errors by adding a Connectivity Check command in the messages for A-interface.
US07974590B2
Aspects of a method and system for simultaneous signal transmission on multiple selected frequencies may include generating from a single baseband signal, a plurality of radio frequency transmission signals each at a different radio frequency, wherein the single baseband signal comprises an in-phase signal component and/or a quadrature signal component. The single baseband signal, to generate said plurality of radio frequency transmission signals, may be modulated in a single radio frequency transmission chain, the radio frequency transmission chain comprising intermediate frequency modulation and radio frequency modulation. The plurality of radio frequency transmission signals may be a radio frequency signal and a corresponding image frequency signal, based on the intermediate frequency modulation and the radio frequency modulation. The signals resulting from the intermediate frequency modulation and the radio frequency modulation may be filtered to preserve the radio frequency signal and the corresponding image frequency signal.
US07974575B2
Methods of reducing interference in a satellite communications system may include receiving a plurality of feeder link signals and time aligning the plurality of feeder link signals to provide time aligned feeder link signals. At least two of the time aligned feeder link signals may be combined to provide reduced interference of at least one of the feeder link signals. Related systems are also discussed.
US07974572B2
When reservation information is inputted, a mobile terminal apparatus (broadcast receiver) 1 stores a mode ID for which the set flag is set at “1” and stored in a mode information memory section 1-3-1 and the inputted reservation information in the reservation information memory section 1-3-3. Subsequently, the apparatus 1 receives a television broadcast or a radio broadcast based on the reservation information. Then, the apparatus 1 judges whether or not the mode ID for which the set flag is set at “1” matches the mode ID that is stored in the reservation information memory section 1-3-3 in the manner so as to be associated with the reservation information. When both match each other, the apparatus 1 outputs the broadcast content to a speaker SP and a display section 1-7, and when both do not match each other, it outputs the broadcast content to a record data memory section 1-3-4.
US07974569B2
Computer method and apparatus enable customization of lesson plans per student. The invention method and apparatus include a curriculum data store holding a plurality of curriculum records, a student record data store and a processor routine coupled to the student record data store and the curriculum data store. Each curriculum record indicates a respective teaching activity and implementation details of the activity as part of a lesson plan. There are different activities for different domains. The processor routine enables, for a given student, educator-user selection of a curriculum record with its respective activity, as a function of assessed skill level in a subject domain and/or learning profile of the student. The processor routine generates a custom lesson plan, for the given student, that includes the activity of the user-selected curriculum record. The processor routine may suspend or otherwise hold the custom lesson plan pending supervisory review at various times.
US07974568B2
An image forming apparatus is provided with: an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium according an image forming condition; a speed changing unit that changes an image forming speed of the image forming unit between a plurality of image forming speeds including a first image forming speed; an adjusting unit that adjusts the image forming condition set in the image forming unit; a measuring unit that measures an elapsed state after the image forming condition is adjusted for the last time at the first image forming speed in the image forming unit, and outputs a measured value indicative of the elapsed state; and a determination unit that determines, according to the elapsed state, whether or not to adjust the image forming condition before the image forming unit starts forming an image at the first image forming speed.
US07974550B2
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: a conveyer that conveys a developer image or a transfer medium to which the developer image is transferred; an image carrier that carries the developer image transferred to the conveyer or the transfer medium which the conveyer conveys; a latent image forming unit that forms the latent image on the image carrier; a developing unit that develops the latent image formed on the image carrier and forms the a developer image; a transfer unit that transfers the developer image formed on the image carrier; and a restricting unit that restricts the movement of the image carrier and the latent image forming unit in at least two directions and a rotational direction of the image carrier.
US07974545B2
A developing device capable of improving the image density and the dot reproducibility, and an image forming apparatus including the same are provided. A developing device applies an alternating voltage superimposed on a direct current voltage to a developing roller to thereby develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor with toner. A bias voltage waveform superimposed at this time has an original period (first period) in which each of a development-side electrical potential and an opposite development-side electrical potential is applied one time and a period (second period) in which a Vpp is gradually increased from the initial value to the maximum value.
US07974544B2
An electrophotography apparatus prevents the edge effect without causing the blurring or loss of a single-dot image or a single-dot-width line. Based on a measurement of a testing patch, two templates with different sizes are generated. Image data to be printed is subjected to template matching using the templates to obtain a difference region as an image edge region of the image data where, when the image data is developed, the amount of attached toner is increased. The exposure amount for the image edge region is controlled based on a measurement of the amounts of attached toner in edge portions of the testing patch so that the difference in the attached toner amounts are minimized.
US07974543B2
A device for phase distortion compensation across an optical beam is provided. The device is a part of an optical receiver, which can be used in free space optical communications, remote sensing, optical imaging and others. 2M inputs of the combiner interfere with each other via a system of tunable coupled waveguides. The phases in interleaved waveguides of the combiner are adjusted to maximize the resulting output signal. The combiner may be used for coherent communication in combination with a balanced 90° hybrid. Integrated solutions for the proposed device are provided.
US07974537B2
An integrated optical transceiver includes an optical subassembly that produces a first electrical signal in response to a first optical signal comprising reception signal data and to emit a second optical signal comprising transmission signal data in response to a second electrical signal. A data processing unit can extract the reception signal data from the first electrical signal and produce the second electrical signal in response to a third electrical signal comprising the transmission signal data. The data processing unit can perform system-layer functions. A data path interface can send the reception data to a host device and receive the third electrical signal comprising the transmission data from the host device. A management unit can control the data processing unit to perform the system-layer functions. A control path interface communicates with the management unit and the host device.
US07974533B2
An optical network is provided including a first optical network section operatively coupled to a carrier facility configured to transmit traffic onto channels in the first optical network section. A second optical network section may be operatively coupled to the first optical network section at a first node. Additionally, the second optical network section may be operatively coupled to a customer location at a second node. The first and second nodes may include tunable filters for passing traffic via at least one channel from the first optical network section to the second optical network section.
US07974532B2
A system and method for management of bandwidth in a fiber optic, ethernet-based, TDMA communications system. A request/grant process is used to control the use of upstream bandwidth. A sense of time must therefore be shared by a headend and remote end-user devices. The invention provides for a gigabit media-independent interface in a media access controller to detect start-of-frame delimiters in incoming data. This allows for synchronization of a headend and end-user devices. The invention also allows for phase locking a transmit bit rate, at a headend, to the headend's clock. Transmitted data can the be used downstream to derive a local clock. Synchronization can also be maintained by the use of synchronization bytes in MPEG frames and/or variable length frames. Efficient bandwidth usage can also be facilitated by the use of maximum data units in allocating bandwidth in unsolicited grants, and by allowing flexible fragmentation and/or prioritization of internet protocol (IP) packets.
US07974530B2
A diaphragm control apparatus is provided in a camera body, in which a controller drives a stepping motor to move the slider away from an origin position, thereafter drives the stepping motor in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and thereafter detects the slider position after holding the stepping motor for a first waiting time upon a distance from the slider to the origin position becoming less than slider-moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. The controller causes the stepping motor to enter a free state upon a lapse of the first waiting time and detects the slider position upon a lapse of a second waiting time to set an initial excitation pattern from a difference between the slider position detected during the first waiting time and the slider position detected in the free state thereof and from the moving distance of the slider.
US07974514B2
When original data are stored, an association information storage area is reserved for each of the original data. When the original data are referred to by a playlist function and a partial area of the original data is registered in a playlist, an identifier for identifying the playlist that made the reference uniquely is stored in the association information storage area that the referred original data have. If a user issues an instruction to delete the original data, the association information storage area of the original data to be deleted is referred to, so that the stored identifier of the playlist of the reference origin is obtained. The playlist of the reference origin is identified based on the obtained identifier, and the identified playlist is deleted or edited.
US07974491B2
A block noise removal device calculates a block boundary correction value which indicates a correction amount for a pixel sample value immediately before a block boundary position and a correction amount for a pixel sample value immediately after the block boundary position for each block boundary position in a pixel sample value sequence. The block noise removal device obtains the block boundary correction value based on at least two consecutive pixel sample values immediately before the block boundary position and at least two consecutive pixel sample values immediately after the block boundary position. The block noise removal device generates a block noise correction signal representing a correction amount for the pixel sample values corresponding to respective pixels in the pixel block by performing interpolation computations based on the block boundary correction value found for each two adjacent block boundary positions.
US07974484B2
A Joint Bi-level Image Group (JBIG) coding and decoding system, which provides a series of fully serial and parallel computational combinations in arithmetic coding and decoding to thereby reduce the complexity of JBIG arithmetic encoder and decoder and increase the processing speed. The JBIG coding system receives pixels and contexts of an image datastream and performs an adaptive arithmetic coding on the pixels in accordance with a pre-stored table and a probability prediction table for further performing a non-distortion compression on the image datastream. The JBIG decoding system receives data and contexts of a compressed datastream and performs an adaptive arithmetic decoding on the data of the compressed datastream in accordance with the pre-stored table and the probability prediction table to thereby obtain an image datastream.
US07974481B2
A method and an apparatus for cost calculation in decimal motion estimation are provided. The method comprises the following steps. Firstly, perform interpolation on a current block to get an interpolation result of a position corresponding to a decimal motion vector. Secondly, calculate a cost according to data at integer point positions of a reference frame corresponding to the current block and the decimal motion vector, and according to the interpolation result.
US07974476B2
A memory footprint of an Modified Quadratic Discriminant Function (MQDF) pattern recognition classifier is reduced without resulting in unacceptable classification accuracy degradation. Covariance matrices for multiple classes are clustered into a smaller number of matrices where different classes share the same set of eigenvectors. According to another approach, different numbers of principal components are stored for different classes based on criteria such as class usage frequency, larger variation in writing, and the like, resulting in fewer principal components to be stored in memory.
US07974474B2
Method for matching images, image matching device, image data output apparatus, and recording medium
An image matching device includes a section calculates feature points on an input document image, a section that calculates features of the input document image in accordance with a relative position between the calculated feature points, and sections for comparing the calculated features of the input document image with features of a reference document image to determine whether the input document image is similar to the reference document image. When it is determined that the input and reference documents are similar, a document discrimination section determines a position of an image on the input document and similar to the reference document image, in accordance with the positions of the coordinates of the feature points on the input document and on the reference document.
US07974473B2
This invention consists in an image processing method in which the similarity between a first pixel and a second pixel constituting an image is numerically given by statistical testing, and the values of the first and second pixels are averaged when the similarity numerically given is high, whereas the first and second pixel values are not averaged when the determined similarity is low, whereby an image with noises suppressed is obtained without spoiling a spatial resolution as well as a temporal resolution.
US07974465B2
A method for a dominant color setting of a video region and a data structure and a method of a confidence measure extraction are disclosed. The video region dominant color setting method is characterized in that a region dominant color descriptor is expressed by the number of dominant colors with respect to a certain region, a dominant color expressed, a frequency that the dominant color appears, and an accuracy of a color value representing the region in a region dominant color based on various region dominant color extraction methods, for thereby expressing a region dominant color using a plurality of colors with respect to a region dominant color value and a confidence value of a region dominant color information based on various region dominant color feature extracting methods.
US07974464B2
A directed pattern enhancement method receives a learning image and pattern enhancement directive. Pattern enhancement learning is performed using the learning image and the pattern enhancement directive to generate pattern enhancement recipe. An application image is received and a pattern enhancement application is performed using the application image and the pattern enhancement recipe to generate pattern enhanced image. A recognition thresholding is performed using the pattern enhanced image to generate recognition result. The pattern enhancement directive consists of background directive, patterns to enhance directive, and patterns to suppress directive. An update learning method performs pattern enhancement progressive update learning.
US07974452B2
In a container of a cell culture device, a light source and a camera are arranged on both sides of an incubator, and the camera or incubator can be moved in relation to each other.An image of cells in the incubator is captured with a given focus.The medium, image density, and noise component of images captured while varying the focus of the camera have substantially similar pixel values.Consequently, by subjecting the data on the images captured with such different focuses to differential processing, only the cell portion can be extracted without being influenced by the color variation of the medium, the variation of the amount of light, the difference in brightness between the central and peripheral areas of the image, and the noise.
US07974450B2
In a method for generation of 3D x-ray image data of a subject, a number of initial 2D x-ray images of the subject are acquired from various viewing directions. A number of noise-filtered 2D x-ray images are produced by, for each noise-filtered 2D image, combining at least two of the initial 2D x-ray images with noise filtering. 3D x-ray image data are generated from the noise-filtered 2D x-ray images.
US07974449B2
A system for recording handwritten notes includes a feature information obtaining section that obtains feature information of a user who is holding a handwriting tool, a handwritten notes obtaining section that obtains notes handwritten with the handwriting tool, and a recording section that records the feature information of the user who is holding the handwriting tool and the notes handwritten with the handwriting tool, the handwritten notes being directly or indirectly associated with the feature information.
US07974446B2
A face authentication system includes a data input section for obtaining three-dimensional data concerning a face area of a subject at multiple points, and a processor for performing a registration process or a verification process of authentication data of the subject based on the three-dimensional data. The processor has a quality rater for rating a quality of the three-dimensional data with respect to each of the points of the three-dimensional data to generate quality data, and a quality distribution deriving section for deriving a distribution of the quality with respect to the face area, based on the quality data.
US07974445B2
A vehicle periphery monitoring device which determines type of an object with high accuracy, wherein the size of object regions that are set in each of the image representing the peripheral condition of the vehicle in each of two different points in time and that include the identical objects, are aligned on the basis of the distance from the vehicle to the object in each of the two different point in time. Further, local regions with the same arrangement pattern are set taking each of the object regions with aligned size as reference. Still further, the object is classified into the object class which corresponds to the arrangement pattern in the case where the degree of correlation between the local regions becomes equal to or larger than a threshold value.
US07974443B2
A method of tracking a target includes receiving an observed depth image of the target from a source and analyzing the observed depth image with a prior-trained collection of known poses to find an exemplar pose that represents an observed pose of the target. The method further includes rasterizing a model of the target into a synthesized depth image having a rasterized pose and adjusting the rasterized pose of the model into a model-fitting pose based, at least in part, on differences between the observed depth image and the synthesized depth image. Either the exemplar pose or the model-fitting pose is then selected to represent the target.
US07974436B2
The present invention relates to deriving and/or utilizing content signatures. A content signature includes a representation of a content item, which is derived or calculated from the content item itself. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining a content item; transforming the content item to obtain transform domain coefficients; applying Viterbi decoding to a set of the transform domain coefficients; and using a result of the Viterbi decoding as a content signature representing features or characteristics of the content item itself. Other claims and combinations are provided too.
US07974435B2
A method and system for encoding a content signal having one or more content segments. The one or more content segments of the content signal are identifying or obtained. One or more encoded patterns are superimposed or inserted in a segment portion of at least one of the one or more content segments by use of an insertion method that renders the one or more encoded patterns substantially invisible within the content signal. A method for detecting an encoded message within an encoded content signal. A pattern format is identified in at least one of the content segments. One or more encoded patterns are extracted from the one or more pattern formatted identified content segments. The one or more encoded patterns are decoded. The encoded message decoded from the encoded content signal is utilized.
US07974432B1
A baseball styled cap that retains an elasticized sleeve on the inside, front wall of the cap. A portable audio player or radio can be inserted into the sleeve and connected to a pre-installed wiring and speaker system that is integrated into the fabric seams of the cap. This unitary configuration allows the cap with audio system to be worn and used in comfort, with little or no limitation on the physical activity of the wearer.
US07974427B2
A hearing aid is identified by storing a binary code in the hearing aid, receiving a transmitted code, reading out a subset of bits from the stored binary code, and comparing the transmitted code with the subset for identification. The reading step preferably reads the lowest order nibble, byte, or word of the binary code. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a charger for the hearing aid, a controller for the hearing aid, and a programmer for the hearing aid store the identification codes for two way communication among the devices.
US07974420B2
A mixed audio separation system (100) which separates a specific audio from among a mixed audio (S100) includes a local frequency information generation unit (105) which obtains pieces of local frequency information (S103) corresponding to local reference waveforms (S102), based on the local reference waveforms (S102) and an analysis waveform which is the waveform of the mixed audio (S100). Each of the local reference waveforms (S102) (i) constitutes a part of a reference waveform for analyzing a predetermined frequency, (ii) has a predetermined temporal/spatial resolution and (iii) includes at least one of an amplification spectrum and a phase spectrum in the predetermined frequency. The system includes: a specific audio's frequency feature value extraction unit (106) which performs pattern matching between a first set which is the pieces of local frequency information and a second set of pieces of frequency information (S103) of a predetermined specific audio, and extracts the first set of the pieces of local frequency information (S103), based on a result of the pattern matching; and an audio signal generation unit which generates a signal of the specific audio, based on the first set of the pieces of local frequency information (S103) extracted by the specific audio's frequency feature value extraction unit.
US07974419B2
A pop sound prevention module and a speaker apparatus thereof are provided. The pop sound prevention module is used for preventing the speaker apparatus generating a pop sound when a power shuts down. The speaker apparatus includes an audio amplifier, an audio processor, the pop sound prevention module, and a loudspeaker. The audio processor is coupled to a first operation voltage. The audio amplifier is coupled to a second operation voltage. When the power shuts down, the pop sound prevention module outputs a mute control signal to the audio amplifier according to voltage difference between the first operation voltage and the second operation voltage. According to the mute control signal, the audio amplifier prevents the loudspeaker from generating a pop sound.
US07974414B2
Methods and apparatus for automatically grouping user-specific information items (400) in a mobile station (102) are disclosed. In one illustrative example, a method includes the steps of reading a first user-specific information item (404, 406, 408, or 410) associated with a first file or application of the mobile station (102); storing the first user-specific information item (404, 406, 408, or 410) in a user information file or message (402) of the mobile station (102); and repeating the acts of reading and storing for at least a second user-specific information item (404, 406, 408, or 410) associated with a second file or application of the mobile station (102), so that the first and the second user-specific information items are grouped together as user information in the user information file or message (402). Examples of user-specific information items (400) include a user name (404) associated with an end user of the mobile station (102), a telephone number (406) (e.g. an IMSI) of the mobile station (102), an e-mail address (408) associated with an e-mail communication application of the mobile station (102), and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) (410) of the mobile station (102). The user information file or message (402) containing the user-specific information items (400) may easily be transmitted from the mobile station (102) to one or more recipients through a wireless communication network (104) in a message such as an e-mail or PIN message.
US07974404B2
A system for providing power to a network interface device (NID) includes a primary power supply device (PPSD), a battery backup device (BBD), and an electrical bus connecting the PPSD, the BBD, and the NID in parallel. The PPSD is operable to power the NID. The BBD is configured to provide power to the NID in response to a power loss event, such as the PPSD failing to provide adequate power to the NID.
US07974402B2
A communication system includes a plurality of mobile nodes forming a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) and having a network clock time. A plurality of wireless communications links connects the mobile nodes together. Each mobile node includes a communications device and controller for transmitting and routing data packets wirelessly to other mobile nodes via the wireless communications link using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) data transmission. Each mobile node includes a clock circuit having a digital clock time. A clock circuit is operative for processing a second order internal clock compensation factor as a learned and accumulated value for establishing a virtual clock time to correct any clock timing errors of the physical clock time from the network clock time.
US07974397B2
A method and system for providing computer-network related information about a calling party. First, the called party receives a telephone number of a calling party. The called party's customer premises equipment (CPE) or elements in a telephone network then use the telephone number to index a database, which contains combinations of telephone numbers and computer-network addresses. Once the calling party's computer-network address is retrieved, calling-party-customized information present at the computer-network location specified by the computer-network address can be sent to and displayed on the called party's CPE. Also, the calling party's telephone number can be sent to an application in the computer network, causing the calling-party-customized information to be automatically displayed on the called party's CPE.
US07974391B2
A conversation-based user interface (UI) is described. The presenting of the UI includes receiving communications from numerous people. The communications include media that is electronic. A conversation list is generated that includes conversation information of each of the communications. The conversation information includes information of a sender and the media of each communication. The conversation list is displayed.
US07974387B2
Customer problem reports are collected and analyzed in order to monitor, analyze, and proactively prevent the same or similar problems from reoccurring in the future. A selection of customer problem reports are received and may be prioritized for analysis. Associated network elements may be scheduled for monitoring and/or testing at a greater frequency. Network elements may be the subject of new problem reports which may be dispatched to technicians for proactive analysis and repair.
US07974383B2
An x-ray tube includes a frame, an anode for generating x-rays disposed within the frame, a cathode disposed within the frame, where the cathode is configured to selectively emit an electron beam toward the anode, and at least one heating element disposed within the frame and configured to heat a portion of the anode.
US07974378B2
In a method and a mammography device, a virtual mask is created from an x-ray image of the breast for positioning the breast for a biopsy. The mask reproduces the image region covered by the breast tissue. A region targeted for the biopsy, and located within the breast tissue, is marked in the mask. The breast is then positioned for the biopsy in the mammography device between a support plate and a compression plate, the compression plate being provided with a recess for introducing the biopsy instrument therethrough. The mask and the compression plate are superimposed to cause the marked region to be located within this recess. The breast is then moved until the position and the contour thereof substantially coincide with the position and contour of the mask.
US07974373B2
A method and architecture for pulse shaping are provided. The architecture includes a pulse shaping filter having a plurality of memory elements and a plurality of taps connected to the plurality of memory elements wherein a total number of the plurality of taps is independent of a sampling rate. The pulse shaping filter further includes a selector configured to select outputs from the plurality of taps to define a pulse shaped output.
US07974372B2
Disclosed is an OFDM receiving apparatus for receiving a signal that has sustained inter-symbol interference owing to a delayed wave that exceeds a guard interval, eliminating at least inter-symbol interference from the receive signal and applying demodulation and decoding processing to the receive signal from which interference has been eliminated. A combination of number of iterations of the equalization processing for eliminating interference from a receive signal and for demodulating and decoding the receive signal and number of iterations for repeating the decoding in the decoding processing is changed over based upon the state of the propagation path, e.g., the SIR, which is the ratio of desired signal power to interference power.
US07974368B2
A decoding method and system for real-time wireless channel estimation, which decodes a received signal with a noise. The received signal is coded by a concatenation code. At first, the received signal is performed a certain amount of decoding by a Max-Log-MAP decoding procedure. Next, an estimated amplitude of the received signal and an estimated variance of a noise are computed. Then, the received signal is adjusted in accordance with the estimated amplitude and the estimated variance to thereby produce an adjusted received signal. Finally, the adjusted received signal is decoded by a Log-Map decoding procedure.
US07974363B2
A receiver supporting a plurality of radio communication systems having different specifications includes a setting unit, a clock generation circuit, a voltage-current conversion amplifier, a switch, integrators, an AD conversion circuit, and a feedback circuit. The setting unit sets a value suitable for a carrier frequency used in one selected radio communication system. The clock generation circuit generates a first clock having a first frequency and a second clock having a second frequency. The conversion amplifier converts an input voltage signal into a current signal. The switch switches between connection and disconnection modes in accordance with the first clock to output the current signal. Each integrator operates in accordance with the second clock and includes two or more switched capacitor circuits and an operational amplifier. The AD conversion circuit converts a signal supplied from the preceding integrator into digital form. The feedback circuit operates in accordance with the second clock.
US07974359B2
The disclosed embodiments provide for methods and systems for transmitting a number of streams of modulation symbols by a multi-antenna transmitter. In one aspect, a method for transmitting a number of streams of modulation symbols by a multi-antenna transmitter includes the acts of transforming a first number of streams of symbols to a second number of streams of symbols, the first number being smaller than or to the second number; and transmitting the second number of streams of symbols by a transmitter having the second number of antennas.
US07974357B2
This method for carrying out the flexible demodulation of data modulated following an amplitude modulation in quadrature is used in a communications system employing a code division multiple access technique (CDMA) and an optical frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) using non-binary spread codes. The invention includes steps for determining a simplified expression specific to the logarithm of the likelihood ratio.
US07974343B2
The present invention provides an entropy coding method for coding video prediction residual coefficients, comprising the steps of: firstly, zig-zag scanning coefficients of blocks to be coded to form a sequence of (level, run) pairs; secondly, selecting a type of code table for coding a current image block to be coded according to a type of macro block; then switching and coding each (level, run) pair in the obtained sequence of (level, run) pairs with multiple tables, with the reverse zig-zag scanning order for the coding order of the pairs; at last, coding a flag of End of Block EOB with the current code table. The present invention of an entropy coding method for coding video prediction residual coefficients fully considers the context information and the rules of symbol's conditional probability distribution by designing different tables for different block types and different regions of level. The coding efficiency is improved and no impact to computational implementation complexity is involved.
US07974339B2
A system for transmitting data is provided. The system includes a frame analysis system receiving frame data, such as a frame of video data, and generating region data, such as a uniform matrix size that is used to divide the frame into a predetermined set of matrices. A pixel selection system receives the region data and generates one set of pixel data for each region, such as by selecting one of the pixels contained within each of the original matrices that comprise the frame.
US07974338B2
To improve the user experience, a digital radio receiver may output the data contained within the Fast Access Channel and Service Description Channel of a Digital Radio Mondiale stream when their decoding is complete without waiting for the Main Service Channel decoding to finish. When the Main Service Channel decoding is finished, the digital radio receiver may output the audio or data contained within the Main Service Channel. The audio or data from the Digital Radio Mondiale stream may be output on a speaker, headphones, a display, or other type of transducer. The digital radio receiver may also include a processor and a memory to store data from the Fast Access Channel and the Service Description Channel, including data from previously received Digital Radio Mondiale streams.
US07974336B2
An equalization system used in a communication receiver has multiple equalization stages. A front equalizer supplies equalization output to a feed back filter in a rear equalizer to speed initialization of the rear equalizer. In addition, the rear equalizer supplies decision output to the front equalizer to estimate errors so as to provide more accurate tap coefficient adjustments. Both the front equalizer and the rear equalizer can be implemented with iterative equalizers to further enhance equalization performance.
US07974323B2
A semiconductor laser includes: a multiple quantum well active layer that is formed on a semiconductor substrate comprised by GaAs and includes well layers having GaInAsP that has a tensile strain against the GaAs, and a barrier layer having AlGaInP that has substantially zero strain against the GaAs, the well layers and the barrier layer being alternately stacked; a pair of first AlGaInP layers that has substantially zero strain against the GaAs, and is provided so that the first AlGaInP layers contact upper and lower surfaces of the multiple quantum well active layer respectively; and a pair of second AlGaInP layers that has a compressive strain against the GaAs, and is provided so that the second AlGaInP layers contact the pair of first AlGaInP layers respectively.
US07974306B2
A signal transferring device adapted to connect to a communication device via a network cable, includes a network port, a third port, a decoder circuit and a signal strength indicator unit. The network port is connected to a communication device via a network cable. The third port is different from the network port and connected to a plurality of signal lines and a ground line of a main board of the communication device via the network port. The decoder circuit is connected to a power line, a ground line and at least one first control line of the main body to receiving a signal in relation to a signal receiving strength state of the communication device for generating a signal strength indicator signal. The signal strength indicator unit is connected to the decoder circuit and configured for displaying the signal receiving strength state of the communication device.
US07974300B2
A method, system and article of manufacture are disclosed for selecting a channel instance for connecting a client with a server in a multi-channel instance computer system. In this computer system, when a new channel instance is used for connecting the client with one of the servers, defined channel information is established for the channel instance. The method of this invention comprises the steps of, when a new connection request is made, locking existing channel information; and after said locking, scanning through a list of channel connections for one of the channel instances that is a candidate for said connection request. In response to finding a candidate channel instance, which is in the process of connecting, the connection request is queued against the candidate channel instance. When the candidate channel instance does not complete connecting within a defined or determined time period, a new channel instance is used for the connection request.
US07974291B1
A reorder engine classifies information relating to incoming data items as belonging to either a first, second, or third region. The information relating to the data items may arrive at the reorder engine out of order. The data items each include a sequence number through which the reorder engine may reconstruct the correct order of the data items. Based on the classification, the reorder engine may either process the data items normally or drop certain ones of the data items. The majority of incoming data items will fall in the first region and are processed normally. Data items arriving in the second region indicate that a previous data item is late or delayed. If this previous data item is delayed but does eventually arrive, it will arrive in the third region and is simply ignored.
US07974271B2
A system and method are disclosed for providing high quality sound communications in an IP Centrex environment. The method aspect of the invention comprises, from a network switch, negotiating between a first customer premises equipment (CPE) and a second CPE, the negotiation being related to a possible quality of a call between the first CPE and the second CPE. Next, the switch controls mapping between a dialing plan and a network address, determining a network address of the first CPE and the second CPE and connecting the call between the first CPE and the second CPE. In this manner, the highest quality and broadest bandwidth possible between the first CPE and second CPE through the IP Centrex environment may be used for the call.
US07974269B2
The objective of the invention is to provide a mobile communication control method and mobile communication system in which mobile IPv6 and SIP are integrated by a core network of 3GPP2. In the mobile communication system, the mobile node MN executes a registration procedure for a Care-of-Address acquired in a visited network by the communication between the mobile node and a home agent server HA, executes a registration procedure for the Care-of-Address by the communication between the mobile node and an SIP server, and executes a communication procedure for session establishment by the communication between the mobile node MN and a correspondent node not through the home agent server but through the SIP server.
US07974263B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving time information in a mobile communication system. In a method for calculating a current time in the mobile communication system, time information is received from a base station. Date information and parameters for calculation of time are obtained on the basis of the received time information. A lapse time length from a reference time is calculated on the basis of the parameters. A current time is calculated using the calculated lapse time length and the date information. The time information is periodically transmitted and received using the idle frame of an idle state and the stealing flag of a normal burst contained in a BCCH.
US07974257B2
A communications system may include a first wireless communications device communicating based upon a first wireless communications protocol, a second wireless communications device communicating based upon a second wireless communications protocol different from the first wireless communications protocol, and a wireless base station. The wireless base station may communicate with the first wireless communications device and the second wireless communications device based upon a frame structure. The frame structure may be defined by sub-carriers at respective different frequencies and symbols at respective different times. The frame structure may include a frame control header, a first frame portion for communicating with the first wireless communications device based upon the first wireless communications protocol, and a second frame portion for communicating with the second wireless communications device based upon the second wireless communications protocol.
US07974252B2
The MAC frame in a wireless communication system includes a terminal ID allocated to each of multiple terminals. At least one connection ID is allocated to each terminal having the terminal ID, and sub-carrier allocation information is allocated to each connection having the connection ID. The sub-carrier allocation information includes a sub-carrier allocation status for each sub-carrier, and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier. The sub-carrier allocation status and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier can be allocated, by sub-carriers, to the sub-carrier allocation information using a same number of bits; or the information on the sub-carrier allocation status is first allocated to the sub-carrier allocation information and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier is allocated.
US07974251B2
A system for a vehicle including a first user interface to generate a first command to receive audio/video data from a server in the vehicle, a first wireless client station to transmit a first packet including the first command, and a first wireless access point to (i) receive the first packet transmitted from the first wireless client and (ii) transmit the first packet to a wireless router. The wireless router routes the first packet to the server and routes, to the first wireless access point, packets received from the server in response to the first command, where the packets include the audio/video data. The first wireless access point transmits the packets to the first wireless client station. A media player (i) generates audio/video signals based on the packets received from the first wireless client station and (ii) outputs the audio/video signals to the first user interface.
US07974239B2
In order that media access slots MAS are allocated based on minimum latency requirements of, for example, not less than 4 ms, or on a medium utilization efficiency or power consumption requirement for a minimum reservation block length, both high-efficiency and low-latency schemes (or category) need to coexist within a superframe with fair support given to both. The maximization of contiguous available MAS between low-latency and high-efficiency schemes ensures that power saving and overhead risk are minimized without compromising the support for low-latency applications.
US07974228B2
The present invention provides a method of operating a paging controller in a wireless communication system including a first network that operates according to a first radio access technology and a second network that operates according to a second radio access technology. The first network includes a first control plane entity and the second network includes a second control plane entity. The method includes providing, to at least one first base station in the first network, a request to transmit a page to a first tracking area associated with the mobile unit. The first tracking area is defined in the first network. The method also includes providing, via an interface between the first control plane entity and the second control plane entity, a request to transmit the page to a second tracking area associated with the mobile unit. The second tracking area is defined in the second network.
US07974224B2
A subscriber unit including an interface and a processor to transmit a first request to a wireless communication system by way of the interface to request a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users; communicate with the one or more users by way of the interface in the communication session and in the first communication mode; transmit, while in the communication session, a second request to the wireless communication system by way of the interface to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode; and communicate with the one or more users by way of the interface in the communication session and in the second communication mode.
US07974218B2
A configuration management system and related methods are provided to facilitate intersection-based management of configuration information for network devices. In one example, a method includes polling a plurality of network devices to determine address entries stored by address tables of the network devices. The method also includes applying a hash function to the address entries to determine a plurality of key-value associations. The method further includes maintaining a hash table comprising the key-value associations. Each key of the hash table corresponds to an address entry stored by one or more of the address tables. Each value of the hash table identities which of the address tables are storing the address entry corresponding to the associated key.
US07974217B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for identifying a network device corresponding to an Internet protocol address. The method comprises the steps of detecting network devices over a network using a detection message, extracting media access control addresses from Internet protocol addresses of network devices which respond to the detection message, and detecting and displaying names of network devices corresponding to the extracted media access control addresses from a database which stores device identification information specifying names of network devices and media access control addresses corresponding to the respective names.
US07974208B2
In a multi-QOS level queuing structure, packet payload pointers are stored in multiple queues and packet payloads in a common memory pool. Algorithms control the drop probability of packets entering the queuing structure. Instantaneous drop probabilities are obtained by comparing measured instantaneous queue size with calculated minimum and maximum queue sizes. Non-utilized common memory space is allocated simultaneously to all queues. Time averaged drop probabilities follow a traditional Weighted Random Early Discard mechanism. Algorithms are adapted to a multi-level QOS structure, floating point format, and hardware implementation. Packet flow from a router egress queuing structure into a single egress port tributary is controlled by an arbitration algorithm using a rate metering mechanism. The queuing structure is replicated for each egress tributary in the router system.
US07974207B2
A device generates a service protection factor (SPFi) for links (N) on a link aggregation group (LAG), determines a traffic allocation bandwidth on the LAG for a service class based on the service protection factor (SPFi) and a congestion guard factor (CGFi), and restricts the traffic allocation bandwidth on the LAG. The service protection factor (SPFi) may guarantee a service availability target in the presence of link failure, and the congestion guard factor (CGFi) may protect against link overload that may arise from imperfectness in traffic load balancing across links in the LAG.
US07974203B2
The invention is directed to a traffic control system. The traffic control system comprises a communication device. The communication device includes a traffic type differentiation unit for differentiating a traffic type of an application that generates traffic to be processed on a communication network, a traffic control execution unit for controlling the traffic according to a traffic control condition corresponding to the traffic type, and a setting change reception unit for receiving setting change information on the traffic type or setting change information on the traffic control condition from the communication network. The traffic control system also comprises a setting change information transmission device provided on the communication network for transmitting setting change information.
US07974196B2
Methods and systems for using counters to monitor port buffers are described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving data packets into a system port buffer having different queues. Also, counters are associated with the queues. Further, the method includes scanning the counters, in which the counters count the number of dropped data packets associated with an individual queue of the different queues. Moreover, the method includes determining if the number of dropped data packets for an individual queue is greater than a predetermined number. If the number of dropped data packets is greater than the predetermined number, then a message is generated.
US07974192B2
A technique for multicast switching in a distributed communication system having a plurality of cooperating modules enables a module to forward multicast packets associated with a multicast stream without using a centralized module or control logic by determining all network interfaces and remote modules associated with the multicast stream and forwarding multicast packets to only those network interfaces and remote modules associated with the multicast stream. IGMP snooping may be used to determine the network interfaces and remote modules associated with the multicast stream, and may also be used to determine host addresses, router addresses, and an IGMP version for each network interface and for each remote module. In order to generate IGMP messages, the module learns a multicast device address from received IGMP messages and uses the multicast device address to send the IGMP messages. The module decides whether to send IGMP version 1 messages or IGMP version 2 messages on a particular interface based upon the IGMP version of IGMP messages received over the interface.
US07974190B2
A method in an Ethernet controller for allocating memory space in a buffer memory between a transmit queue (TXQ) and a receive queue (RXQ) includes allocating initial memory space in the buffer memory to the RXQ and the TXQ; defining a RXQ high watermark and a RXQ low watermark; receiving an ingress data frame; determining if a memory usage in the RXQ exceeds the RXQ high watermark; if the RXQ high watermark is not exceeded, storing the ingress data frame in the RXQ; if the RXQ high watermark is exceeded, determining if there are unused memory space in the TXQ; if there are no unused memory space in the TXQ, transmitting a pause frame to halt further ingress data frame; if there are unused memory space in the TXQ, allocating unused memory space in the TXQ to the RXQ; and storing the ingress data frame in the RXQ.
US07974189B2
A method is disclosed to set the speed of a network. The method supplies a network interconnected with a system controller and a plurality of switch domains, where each of those plurality of switch domains comprises one or more information storage devices and a switch domain controller, and sets by each of the plurality of switch domains a signaling rate for that switch domain. The method queries in-band by the system controller each of the plurality of switch domains for that switch domain's signaling rate, and provides in-band by each of the plurality of switch domains the signaling rate for that switch domain. The method provides in-band by the system controller to each of the plurality of switch domains a first speed selection command specifying a first network speed, and resets by each of the plurality of switch domains the signaling rate for that switch domain to the first network speed.
US07974186B2
A connection information takeover unit in an active communication processing apparatus in the system sends connection information and a transmission sequence number of each data to be transmitted to a standby connection recovery device when a connection is established, and a connection information takeover unit in a standby communication processing apparatus retains the connection information and the latest transmission sequence number in a connection information storing unit. A dummy data sending unit of the communication processing apparatus which is switched to active because a failover occurred sends dummy data to a client, and if a transmission sequence number of a reply packet for the dummy data matches with the transmission sequence number in the connection information storing unit, a connection continuity determining unit notifies a communication processing unit that connection can be continued.
US07974181B2
Systems and methods for reducing the peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) at the transmitter can reduce the dynamic range required in various analog components. PAR can be reduced by applying a time-domain compensation signal in the oversampled regime, using tones reserved for PAR reduction. A set of vectors corresponding to PAR tones is generated by processing out-of-phase symbols for each PAR tone to form a span matrix. The span matrix is used to find a best fit of a desired target signal to a time-domain compensation signal comprising only PAR tones.
US07974167B2
In the present invention, at the time of pulling a focus on an information recording surface of a disc, a focus servo is first pulled in a disc surface of the disc, and with the servo in a settled state, a driving signal necessary for following surface wobble is stored, and a focus is pulled in the information recording surface of the disc based upon a signal superimposed with the driving signal and a focus search driving signal.
US07974155B2
A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from a positioning information satellite, a timekeeping unit that keeps time internally, a power supply unit that supplies power at least to the reception unit, a correlation process unit that is disposed in the reception unit and has a plurality of correlators for determining a correlation with the satellite signal when receiving satellite signals, and a correlation process count determination unit that determines how many correlators to use when the reception unit receives the satellite.
US07974152B2
A method for controlling output of a marine seismic vibrator includes operating the vibrator using a predetermined driver signal. A vibrator output signal is measured at at least two different places on the vibrator. The at least two measured vibrator output signals are used to determine a corrected driver signal, wherein the corrected driver signal results in fewer harmonics of fundamental frequencies in the vibrator output. The vibrator is operated using the corrected driver signal.
US07974151B2
An embodiment according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure for conducting a marine survey includes towing a survey spread comprising a plurality of receivers and an energy source along a selected course; emitting a signal from an energy source; receiving data from the plurality of receivers; detecting a cetacean from the received data; positioning the detected cetacean; limiting contact with the detected cetacean; and conducting a marine survey.
US07974150B2
Methods and apparatus for controlling seismic source firings are disclosed. The methods and apparatus enable firing of seismic sources to increase pressure wave amplitude. Some methods and apparatus reduce ghosting and align first pressure peaks of multiple seismic sources. The multiple seismic sources may be fired sequentially according to active feedback mechanisms. Controlling the firing of the seismic source facilitates more accurate seismic data and a more consistent seismic source signature.
US07974147B2
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for monitoring a memory address transmitted along an address path and converted into a row or column address of memory. The method includes: generating a path decision signal for deciding whether to connect the address path to a data terminal of the memory according to a memory command; and when the address path is connected to the data terminal of the memory in response to the path decision signal, transmitting a memory address, corresponding to the memory command, to the data terminal of the memory so that the memory address is monitored through the data terminal of the memory.
US07974144B2
A system and are described as to adjusting voltages in a memory device, while the device is in sleep mode, to prevent or minimize voltage or current leakage of the device.
US07974126B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: static memory cells arranged in a matrix; a read bit line for transmitting data read from one of the memory cells; a write bit line for transmitting data to be written to one of the memory cells; an input data line for transmitting data which is received from outside and is to be written in one of the memory cells; and a selector for selectively transmitting data of the read line or the input data line to the write bit line.
US07974119B2
A transmission gate-based spin-transfer torque memory unit is described. The memory unit includes a magnetic tunnel junction data cell electrically coupled to a bit line and a source line. A NMOS transistor is in parallel electrical connection with a PMOS transistor and they are electrically connected with the source line and the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by passing a polarized write current through the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. The PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor are separately addressable so that a first write current in a first direction flows through the PMOS transistor and a second write current in a second direction flows through the NMOS transistor.
US07974113B2
Reverse conducting type semiconductor switches are arranged in a bride from, an energy storage capacitor is connected with its DC terminal to obtain a magnetic energy regeneration switch, and then an induction coil is connected to its AC terminal. An AC pulse current of variable frequency is obtained by applying a gate signal to the semiconductor switch to thereby turn it ON/OFF; since a voltage is generated automatically by regenerating magnetic energy, a DC power supply is connected to the opposite ends of the capacitor through a smoothing coil, thus injecting power.
US07974112B2
A regulation circuit for use in DC to DC converter is disclosed. One such regulation circuit includes a feedback circuit to be coupled an energy transfer element output to receive a feedback signal to indicate whether the energy transfer element output is above or below a threshold level. A control circuit is included that is to be coupled to a switch that is coupled to an energy transfer element input. The control circuit is further coupled to the feedback circuit to generate a drive signal to control the switch to regulate the energy transfer element output to approximately the threshold level. The control circuit is to maintain an on-time of a current cycle of the drive signal and not allow an on-time of a next cycle of the drive signal in response to the energy transfer element output rising above the threshold level.
US07974109B2
A system and a method that uses primary side sensing to regulate the output voltage at a cable end without any remote sensing of cable connections back from the load. This is accomplished by approximating the current from the control voltage in the control loop through the relationship that defines the Ton time in terms of the control voltage Vc. Once the approximation of the output current is known, it is multiplied by a known fixed cable resistance, and this value is subtracted from the feedback sensor output before it is subtracted from the digital reference. This forces the regulator to raise the output voltage by the amount of drop across the cable, causing the output of the cable to be maintained at the targeted regulation point.
US07974104B2
A printed wiring board having an insulating base material; a wiring formed on at least one surface of the insulating base material, the wiring forming a predetermined circuit pattern; a first connection terminal portion formed on the surface and electrically connected to the wiring, the first connection terminal portion having a first width; a second connection terminal portion formed on the surface and electrically connected to the wiring, the second connection terminal portion having a second width; and a cover layer configured to cover the wiring and expose the first and the second connection terminal portion.
US07974099B2
An apparatus is disclosed that may include one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) and an electronics package may be disposed about the first surface of one or more of the PCBs. The PCBs may include a metal layer and a core, and, in some aspects, may include multiple cores interposed between multiple metal layers, and in some embodiments a backplane may be disposed along the core(s). A plurality of PCB's may be set apart and connected by pins to dissipate heat from one PCB to another, and/or to convey electrical connectivity. Pins may be configured to pass through or into one or both the PCBs including the cores to conduct heat generated by the electronics package away for dispersion. In some embodiments, the pins may pass into the backplane. The apparatus may include LEDs, lights, computer devices, memories, telecommunications devices, or combinations of these.
US07974097B2
A heat sink for a printed circuit board of power server includes at least one soldering portion. The heat sink is soldered to the printed circuit board at the soldering portion by a lead-free tin soldering process. A plurality of protruding structures protrudes from the soldering portion uniformly. The protruding structures are beneficial for getting a better soldering quality.
US07974093B2
An open frame chassis has a top opening and a bottom opening permitting ambient air flow there through. A plurality of modules, each enclosing electrical components which are in thermal contact with a heat sink area of their corresponding module, and each of which can be inserted to an inserted position in the open frame chassis. When the modules are inserted into the open frame chassis, ambient air may flow from the bottom opening of the chassis across the heat sink area of each module to the top opening in order to passively cool the modules and the electrical components enclosed therein. The heat sink area has fins which are separated by a distance of 9 mm to 12 mm and have a height 10 mm to 20 mm. Key pins are associated with the electrical connectors of the chassis to guide the modules into place and prevent incorrect insertion of a different type of electrical module not corresponding to the electrical connection of the chassis for that slot. Guide pins are present on the corners of the modules to mate with guide holes in the chassis to secure the module to the open frame chassis and decrease vibration. Both sides of the chassis have side openings through which the fins of the modules inserted into the end slots of the chassis may be exposed. The power modules are inserted into the end slots. The chassis has an inverted connection at one end slot to accommodate identical power modules at both end slots such that the heat sink area always faces a side opening in the open frame chassis.
US07974091B2
A hinge assembly for a handheld electronic device is provided. The hinge assembly includes a housing having a first portion and a second portion. The hinge assembly comprises a primary member structured to hingedly couple the first portion to the second portion and a secondary member coupled to, and generally pivotable about, the primary member.
US07974088B2
A retaining apparatus for at least one data storage device includes a tray and a retaining device. The tray is used for receiving the at least one data storage device. The retaining device is attached to a front side of the tray. The retaining device includes base member, an arm member, an operation member and a blocking tab. The base member is attached to the front side of the tray. The arm member is pivotably attached to the base member about a first pivot axis. The operation member is pivotably attached to the base member about a second pivot axis. The second pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to the first pivot axis. The blocking tab is secured to the operation member. The blocking tab has a blocking portion to block the arm member.
US07974082B2
A display apparatus includes a front plate and an elastic member fitted to the front plate along the periphery thereof. The elastic member is pressed against a bezel by a pressing metal part. The elastic member includes a hook-shaped portion and a projecting portion at the end faces thereof. The hook-shaped portion is engaged with an edge portion of the front plate so that the elastic member is prevented from falling off from the front plate. Therefore, it is not necessary to use an adhesive in the assembly process.
US07974081B2
The disclosed invention is a panel-like computer with physical and electrical connections enabling it to be connected to the interior front wall of a matching bag. The resulting bag computer may further includes: a bag with means to attach matching computer equipment components; a pivoting display panel located near the exterior top front of the bag front with its display facing away from the bag; a pivoting cover for the display panel; an optional input device, such as a keyboard, located near the exterior center of the bag front. The computing unit panel is mounted to the interior of the bag's front wall using a support structure which physically and electrically holds and aligns the bag and other computing equipment while forming a rigid front to assist storage of the exterior front mounted equipment.
US07974079B2
An integrated mounting system for communication and surveillance infrastructures includes a gantry, a system cabinet, and an interconnecting conduit. The gantry includes a frame configured for housing functional devices (e.g., antennas, video cameras, sensors, photovoltaic panels, and the like) and supporting posts. The system cabinet contains electronic equipment of the functional devices and provides connectivity to land data networks and external sources of power. The system may be installed on a trailer and include autonomous sources of power.
US07974078B2
An electrical enclosure assembly is provided including a first enclosure and a second enclosure disposed within the first enclosure. The first enclosure having a plurality of walls defining an interior and an exterior with one of the walls including a first number of one way vents. The interior being substantially sealed from the exterior except at the first number of one way vents. The second enclosure having a plurality of walls defining an interior separate from the interior of the first enclosure. One of the plurality of walls of the second enclosure including a second number of one way vents. The interior of the second enclosure being substantially sealed from the interior of the first enclosure except at the second number of one way vents.
US07974072B2
A multilayer capacitor array having a plurality of multilayer capacitor devices formed in a single multilayer structure, the multilayer capacitor array including: a capacitor body formed by depositing a plurality of dielectric layers and having first and second side surfaces opposite to each other; a plurality of first polarity internal electrodes and second polarity internal electrodes, disposed oppositely to each other in the capacitor body, interposing the dielectric layer there between, and formed of a single electrode plate comprising a single lead, respectively; and a plurality of first polarity external electrodes and second polarity external electrodes, formed on the first side surface and second side surface, respectively, and connected to a correspondent polarity internal electrode via the lead, the first polarity external electrode formed on the first side surface and the second polarity external electrode formed on the second side surface, wherein the numbers of the first polarity external electrodes and the second polarity external electrodes are two or more, respectively, and are identical to each other, and a total number of the multilayer capacitor devices in the multilayer capacitor array is identical to the number of the first polarity external electrodes.
US07974069B2
An inductive and capacitive components integration structure includes a magnetic core including a first and a second outer leg, and a third inner leg between the first and second outer legs, a first and a second winding respectively wound on the first and second outer legs, and a third winding wound on the third inner leg. The first and second windings are electrically coupled and comprise a first inductive winding. The first inductive winding does not generate any effective magnetic flux through the third inner leg. The third winding forms a second inductive winding. At least one of the first, second and third windings is a composite winding and comprises at least one embedded capacitor.
US07974066B2
A wireless communication device includes a PCB, a grounded electrostatic protection element and an antenna. The PCB includes a ground and an antenna clearance portion. The ground portion includes a ground layer. The antenna clearance portion overlaps the antenna and includes a plurality of second key contacts, a plurality of ground contacts and a plurality of microstrips. The second key contacts are placed on a top surface of the PCB. The ground contacts and the microstrips are placed on a bottom surface of the PCB and corresponding to the second key contacts. The plurality of microstrips connect the plurality of ground contacts to the ground layer. The electrostatic protection element connects the second key contacts to protect them from electrostatic interference.
US07974065B2
The present invention discloses an electric arc isolation structure for isolating an electric arc produced by an arc discharge at a transformer, and the transformer includes a primary side input electrode terminal and a secondary side high-voltage output terminal. The exterior of the transformer is covered by an insulating sheath, and the insulating sheath at least fully covers the secondary side high-voltage output terminal of the transformer.
US07974064B2
A fully operational digital protective relay or Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) are provided for protecting electrical equipment of a power distribution system. The relay includes an input module, a processing module and an output module. Signals received from current transformers connected to the input module are evaluated by the processing module, and in reaction thereto, trip signals can be output to an actuator of a circuit breaker via the output module. A base Human Machine Interface (HMI) enables a user to enter operating parameters such as a delay time or nominal current to the processing module. Optionally, a further HMI may be attached to the protective relay and connected, via a suitable interface for data exchange, to the processing module for the purpose of displaying protection-related information to a user. This further HMI is both optional and detachable. For example, the further HMI can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the protection device. The detachable HMI provides for an increased flexibility in the use of the protective relay, as a user may adapt its interfacing capability by acquiring a detachable HMI of the type and at the time that best suits his evolving needs.
US07974060B2
A disclosed overcurrent protection and output short-circuit protection circuit has a proportional output current generation unit and a first current voltage conversion unit provided in series between a first power supply terminal and an output terminal. Furthermore, the overcurrent protection and output short-circuit protection circuit has a control unit that operates based on a difference between a voltage generated at the first current voltage conversion unit and that generated at a second current voltage conversion unit provided between the first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal. A current flowing to the second current voltage conversion unit is changed by one or more switching elements in a stepwise manner based on the output voltages of the output transistor when supplying the current, thereby changing the voltages generated at both ends of the second current voltage conversion unit.
US07974056B2
A semiconductor device which can achieve high breakdown voltage and high ESD tolerance of a current drive output terminal at the same time, and can quicken the response speed of a current flowing through the current drive output terminal. The inventive semiconductor device is provided, between the current drive output terminal and a first transistor or a low breakdown voltage element, with a second transistor having a breakdown voltage higher than that of the first transistor or that of the low breakdown voltage element. Furthermore, the inventive semiconductor device is provided with a diode having an anode connected with a path between the first transistor or the low breakdown voltage element and the second transistor, and a cathode connected with an ESD protection circuit.
US07974050B2
An active loading-reduction device is provided for a circuit. The circuit has functional circuitry coupled to a terminal to receive an alternating voltage. The circuit also has an electrostatic discharge protector that is coupled to the terminal. The active loading-reduction device includes active circuitry that is adapted to be coupled to a power supply to provide a reactance to counteract a reactance provided by the electrostatic discharge protector at the terminal of the circuit.
US07974044B1
A FOS circuit and a method for fabricating the same that reduces the possibilities of shorts or damage to a circuit board during assembly due to solder reflow. The FOS circuit has a tail, a shunt bar, a plurality of flying leads, and a dam. The tail has a first and second end. The shunt bar is located adjacent to the second end of the tail. The plurality of flying leads project substantially perpendicular from the first edge of the second end of the tail. The plurality of flying leads are substantially parallel to one another and extend between the second end of the tail and the shunt bar. A plurality of electrical paths are formed through the tail to the flying leads. The dam intersects the flying leads and extends from a first flying lead to a last flying lead and is substantially parallel with the first edge of the second end of the tail.
US07974038B2
A servo writer is disclosed for writing servo data onto a disk of a disk drive. The servo writer comprises a push-pin operable to contact an actuator arm of the disk drive, an actuator for actuating the push pin, and a retract capacitor. The retract capacitor is charged, and the actuator actuates the push-pin in order to position the head radially over the disk. If a power failure occurs while actuating the push-pin, a current is applied from the retract capacitor to a voice coil of the actuator arm in order to retract the actuator arm.
US07974027B2
The present invention describes an aperture including: an opaque plate; two sliver openings located in the opaque plate, the two sliver openings having rectangular shapes, the two sliver openings being parallel to each other.The present invention further describes a method including: decomposing a pattern into horizontal sub-features and vertical sub-features; forming a first mask corresponding to the horizontal sub-features; forming a second mask corresponding to the vertical sub-features; forming a first aperture with two parallel horizontal sliver openings corresponding to the first mask; forming a second aperture with two parallel vertical sliver openings corresponding to the second mask; exposing a wafer using the first aperture and the first mask; exposing the wafer using the second aperture and the second mask; and exposing the wafer with the third mask.
US07974025B2
A miniature camera lens actuation apparatus employs an SMA actuator comprising SMA wire to move a camera lens element. To provide autofocus, the SMA actuator is heated across its range of contraction and the resistance at which the focus is at an acceptable level is stored. To combat hysteresis, there is performed a flyback in which the SMA actuator is cooled, before heating the SMA actuator to the stored resistance. The stored resistance is adjusted to combat creep caused by non-linear heating of the SMA actuator. The SMA wire has conductive material extending along on a portion of the SMA wire which extends from a member connected to the SMA wire and being in electrical connection with the SMA wire in order to short out that portion of the SMA wire to reduce creep. Additional material is applied over the SMA wire and the member to reduce fatigue.
US07973998B2
The present invention discloses a multilayer dielectric optical structure wherein one of the optical materials in the multilayer structure shows an optically isotropic state above and a birefringent state below a characteristic temperature Tc near the room temperature. The optical structure reflects a predetermined wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation above the Tc but allow the same to transmit through below the Tc. The predetermined wavelength can be the near infrared radiation from 700 nm to 2500 nm, and the optical structure rejects solar heat in warm summer days but admits the same to interior on a colder winter day.
US07973992B2
Imaging device for avoidance of an obstacle or an optical phenomenon which distorts quality of image
A method for avoiding an obstacle or an image-quality-degrading optical phenomenon in an image recognition unit is provided. The method includes the steps of providing at least an optical shutter array in the image recognition unit, detecting the obstacle or the optical phenomenon, and closing the optical shutter that corresponds to the portion affected by the obstacle or the optical phenomenon. The method can be readily implemented even when the space for implementing the method is small, for example, in a small space in a camera currently in use, and driving power consumed in the method is small. In an image affected by an obstacle attached to a lens or a protective cover for the lens in an imaging device or an optical phenomenon produced by the lens or the protective cover for the lens in the imaging device, an imaging method and image processing are used to avoid the obstacle or the optical phenomenon produced by the lens or the protective cover for the lens in the imaging device without removing the obstacle or optical phenomenon itself.
US07973989B2
An updateable system and method of recording a hologram on a media simultaneously reduces the writing time and increases persistence without sacrificing diffraction efficiency. A voltage kick-off technique controls the bias electric field applied to a photorefractive polymer media in conjunction with the application of the writing beams and dark decay. Essentially the voltage kick-off technique applies a high electric field above the optimal field while the writing beams are on and reduces the electric field when the writing beams are off during dark decay. The voltage kick-off technique produced two separate unexpected results. First, when the writing beams are turned off and the electric field is lowered the diffraction efficiency continues to increase until it reaches a maximum efficiency that is within a few percent of that achieved by writing at the optimal field until steady-state is achieved. Second, the decay time constant is much larger than expected producing a much longer persistence without sacrificing diffraction efficiency or writing time.
US07973988B2
In the present invention, an image determination processing unit detects an image characteristic for each pixel in cyan image data of image data subjected to a registration shift correction by one pixel by use of a profile characteristic. Each set of characteristic determination result information A to C is stored in a determination result storing unit, and a decoder determines whether or not to perform a registration shift correction less than one pixel according to the information A to C. For magenta, yellow, or black, an image edge simple determination processing unit and a screen image simple determination processing unit for each color detect the image characteristic for each pixel in a simplified manner. According to this detected characteristic determination result information, it is determined whether or not to perform the registration shift correction less than one pixel for magenta, yellow, or black.
US07973987B2
An image copying apparatus includes a target data acquiring unit, a target data saving unit, an adding unit, a sampling data saving unit, a specifying unit, a sampling data saving unit, and a correcting unit. The target data acquiring unit acquires target data from a test chart document. The adding unit adds data displaying a specification image specifying the scanning unit having scanned a test chart recorded side to the recorded side image data. The sampling data acquiring unit acquires sampling data from a copy of the test chart document. The specifying unit specifies the scanning unit having scanned the test chart recorded side from the specification image. The sampling data saving unit saves the sampling data when the scanning unit having scanned the test chart copied side matches the specified scanning unit. The correcting unit corrects the image data based on a correcting feature generated from the saved data.
US07973966B2
A method of printing a compressed image includes the steps of receiving the image, having a bi-level black data layer and a continuous tone (contone) CMYK data layer, from an image host; expanding the image by decompressing the two data layers in parallel; halftoning the contone CMYK data layer into bi-level CMYK data layer; compositing the bi-level black data layer over the bi-level CMYK data layer to form a composited bi-level CMYK image; separating the color planes of the composited bi-level CMYK image, and separating each color plane into even and odd pixels; storing the odd and even pixels of each color plane in respective odd and even FIFOs for each color; and printing the composited bi-level CMYK image with a pagewidth printhead onto a print medium.
US07973959B2
A document administration system includes a document administration apparatus and a document destruction apparatus. The document administration apparatus includes a document administration information storage section that stores administration information containing at least document identification information assigned to a document and a retention period of the document. The document destruction apparatus includes an identification information reader, a determination section and a document reader. The identification information reader reads the document identification information assigned to the document. The determination section determines, based on a reading result by the identification information reader, as to whether or not the document identification information is assigned to the document. The document reader reads the document to acquire an image of the document if the document meets a predetermined read condition. The document reader reads the document to acquire the image of the document if no document identification information is assigned to the document.
US07973955B2
Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) for specifying and managing consolidated ticket packages in workflows are provided. In some aspects, the tools may request and receive indications of capabilities of devices that may participate in a workflow, and may generate ticket packages based on the device capabilities, with the ticket packages being consolidated across the workflow. In other aspects, the tools may provide the device capabilities upon request, and may receive job requests that include the ticket packages. In still other aspects, the tools may present a user interface that includes representations of one or more workflows, may receive from a user a selection of one of the workflows, and may present information from a ticket package related to the selected workflow.
US07973953B2
A printing apparatus includes a command input portion, an acquiring portion that acquires image data, a judging portion that determines if specified image data is included in the image data, a control portion and a printing portion that prints an image based on the image data onto a medium. Upon receiving the print command, a determination by the judging portion is performed, and when the judging portion determines that the specified image data is included, a first copy that includes invalidation processing on at least a section of the image is produced, and a second copy that includes invalidation processing on all of the image and the image in all subsequent copies that are printed thereafter is produced, to thereby execute printing of a number of copies that are specified by the print command and subsequently enter a state in which a next print command can be executed.
US07973952B2
A developer consumption determining method for determining a developer consumption of an image forming apparatus includes the steps of dividing one of writing pixels into a plurality of sub-pixels in a main scanning direction, determining a weighting coefficient for each of surrounding sub-pixels of one of the sub-pixels located within a predetermined distance from the one of the sub-pixels on the basis of positional relationships, determining respective emission coefficients for the surrounding sub-pixels on the basis of one of durations and exposures of the light beams applied to the surrounding sub-pixels, summing products of the weighting coefficients of the surrounding sub-pixels and the respective emission coefficients to obtain total exposure for the one of the sub-pixels, repeating for all of the sub-pixels the steps of determining the weighting coefficient, determining respective emission coefficients, and summing products, and summing the total exposures for all the sub-pixels to determine the developer consumption.
US07973950B1
Methods, program products and systems for accepting a first request to print a first image, which includes image data, using first settings that specify one or more nondestructive first transformations of the first image data that creates a first appearance of the first image. In response to the first request, a first association between a time of the first request, the first image, and the first settings is stored. A second request to print a second image, which includes second image data, using second settings is accepted. The second settings specify one or more nondestructive second transformations of the second image data that create a second appearance of the second image. In response to the second request, a second association between a time of the second request, the second image, and the second settings is stored.
US07973947B2
A job can be used to produce a printed document by first processing it with a digital front end (DFE) which then sends printing information to a marking engine. A job has required functionality and a DFE has supplied functionality. When the supplied functionality does not include the required functionality, the job must be modified or abandoned. When using certain DFEs, the job can be modified to include programming data. When processing the modified job, the DFE gains functionality through changed programming. The DFE then has sufficient functionality, which contains the required functionality, that it can process the modified job.
US07973937B1
A method for reducing noise in a multi-aperture imaging system is provided. Each sub-collector of the system, at least one of which has an adjustable optical path length, collects a portion of a wavefront. The adjustable optical path length is varied to each of a set of predetermined lengths to generate interference patterns. Each interference pattern is recorded at an image plane of the system to generate a recorded interference pattern made up of pixels. Pixel intensity data sets are generated, each of which includes a pixel intensity level from a corresponding one of the pixels from each recorded interference pattern. Each pixel intensity data set is Fourier transformed, and in each Fourier transformed data set, spatial frequencies having power values above a predetermined level are identified. The power levels exceeding the threshold are measured and a resultant image is constructed, where each image pixel thereof corresponds to one pixel intensity data set and has one or more intensity values corresponding to the measured power values for that corresponding pixel intensity data set.
US07973930B2
A spectroscopic ellipsometer can compare data different in a measurement condition and facilitate setting an initial value of fitting data even for an inexperienced operator such as a beginner. The spectroscopic ellipsometer includes a reference data storage part storing therein reference data to be compared with measurement data, a conversion operation part converting the measurement data or the reference data into comparable data, so that the measurement data can be compared with the reference data, and a comparison and determination part comparing the measurement data with the reference data made comparable by the conversion operation part with each other and determining a coincidence between the measurement data and the reference data.
US07973924B2
A highly sensitive and compactable target substance sensor for detection of the target substance using a photonic crystal and a method thereof. The sensor includes an electromagnetic wave source of supplying an electromagnetic wave, a photonic sensor element, and a detector. The photonic sensor element has photonic crystalline structure and is configured to include a sensor waveguide for introducing the electromagnetic wave, and a sensing resonator electromagnetically coupled to the sensor waveguide for resonating the electromagnetic wave at specific wavelength. The sensing resonator is exposed to an atmosphere including the target substance so as to vary a characteristic of the electromagnetic wave emitted from the sensing resonator. The detector is configured to receive the electromagnetic wave emitted from the sensing resonator to recognize an intensity variation of the electromagnetic wave and issue a signal indicative of a characteristic of the target substance.
US07973922B2
An optical inspection apparatus irradiates a light beam onto the outer surface of an object to be inspected, in the form of an illumination spot having an illumination intensity which is higher in the outer peripheral part of the object to be inspected than in the inner peripheral part thereof while uniformly maintains a temperature rise caused by the irradiation of the light beam, over the outer surface of the object to be inspected, in order to prevent the effective entire signal value of a scattered light signal from lowering, without lowering the linear speed of a movable stage for the object to be inspected in the outer peripheral part of the object to be inspected, thereby it is possible to prevent lowering of the detectability for a foreign matter or a defect, for preventing lowering of inspection throughput.
US07973914B2
A physical quantity measuring apparatus utilizing optical frequency domain reflectometry includes a tunable laser; a first polarization maintaining fiber; a polarization maintaining coupler; a second polarization maintaining fiber; a third polarization maintaining fiber; a sensor consists of a fiber Bragg grating formed in a core of the third polarization maintaining fiber; a fourth polarization maintaining fiber; a photodiode detects Bragg reflected light from the sensor and reference light from the referential reflecting end; a controller that detects modulation of an interference intensity between the Bragg reflected light and the reference light; and an incidence part that inputs the measuring light, wherein the incidence part being provided on the first polarization maintaining fiber or on both the second polarization maintaining fiber and the third polarization maintaining fiber.
US07973913B2
Emitting stripe pattern light, whose intensity changes periodically, onto a subject while shifting the phase of the pattern by π/2 from a reference phase of 0 until the phase is shifted one cycle to receive reflected light by an image sensor at each of phases 0, π/2, π, and 3π/2. From received light signals obtained at four phases, calculating a phase difference between the stripe pattern light and reflected light thereof with respect to each light receiving element to calculate distance information representing a distance to the subject based on the phase difference. In this case, the distance information is calculated only from a light receiving element having an absolute value of the difference between a first added signal of received light signals at 0 and π and a second added signal of received light signals at π/2 and 3π/2 smaller than a specific value.
US07973909B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method to facilitate using a synchrotron as a source in an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) system, wherein the synchrotron's energy decreases over time. The EUVL system can includes a stepper which uses a step-and-repeat process or a step-and-scan process to transfer patterns from a reticle onto a wafer. The wafer is desired to be exposed to a substantially constant dose. During operation, the system can measure a synchrotron current, and adjust the stepper's exposure duration or the stepper's scan speed based on the synchrotron current so that the wafer is exposed to the substantially constant dose. Note that using the synchrotron current to control the stepper can enable the EUVL system to expose the wafer to the substantially constant dose without using additional equipment to monitor the source's energy.
US07973901B2
A liquid crystal display includes: a substrate; a pixel electrode disposed on the substrate and having a first subpixel electrode and a second subpixel electrode; and a common electrode facing the pixel electrode, wherein the first subpixel electrode has a pair of bent edges substantially parallel to each other, the second subpixel electrode has a pair of bent edges substantially parallel to each other, and the second subpixel electrode has a height greater than a height of the first subpixel electrode.
US07973897B2
A multi-domain liquid crystal display includes multiple first and second picture elements and multiple first and second auxiliary electrodes. The first and second picture elements have opposite polarities under the same frame of an inversion drive scheme, and each picture element has a reflective region and a transmissive region. The first auxiliary electrodes are connected to the first picture elements, and each of the first auxiliary electrodes is positioned next to at least one side of one second picture element. The second auxiliary electrodes are connected to the second picture elements, and each of the second auxiliary electrodes is positioned next to at least one side of one first picture element.
US07973894B2
A transmissive liquid crystal display including a pair of substrates, a common electrode on one of the substrates, a pixel electrode on the other substrate, a liquid crystal sealed between the substrates, a polymer obtained by polymerizing a polymeric component mixed in the liquid crystal, and a pixel region having areas whose electro-optical characteristics are different from each other because of a difference between cell thicknesses. A distance between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, with respect to a direction of the cell thickness, is different in the areas of different cell thicknesses. Also, a liquid crystal display including a pair of substrates provided opposite to each other; a liquid crystal sealed between the pair of substrates; and an alignment film including a polymeric component and a polymerization initiator in a density that varies in each of a plurality of areas in the pixel region.
US07973892B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel including a first substrate having a thin film transistor and forming a transmissive region and a reflective region thereon, a second substrate facing the first substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates and being in an electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) mode, a first optical unit attached to an external surface of the first substrate and having a first polarizing layer, and a second optical unit attached to an external surface of the second substrate and having a second polarizing layer and a compensation film interposed between the second substrate and the second polarizing layer, the compensation film having a single λ/2 film.
US07973890B2
An optical compensation film includes an optical film and a retardation film. The optical film provides a plate retardation in the direction of thickness (Rth), while the retardation film is disposed on the optical film. The retardation film includes first retarders and second retarders, wherein the first retarders are disposed on at least partial areas of the optical film and provide a first planar retardation (Ro1); the second retarders are disposed on partial areas of the optical film but outside the first retarders and provide a second planar retardation (Ro2) and the first planar retardation (Ro1) is different from the second planar retardation (Ro2). The above-mentioned optical compensation film is capable of compensating the displays for different display areas in a liquid crystal display panel. In addition, the present invention also provides a fabricating method of optical compensation film.
US07973889B2
In a normally black mode liquid crystal display, the liquid crystal display and the method prevents the light leakage arising from existing the step for adjusting the thickness of the liquid crystal layer between the reflective electrode and the transparent electrode and that high contrast displaying can be possible. The interval adjustment layer is formed between the first substrate that the reflective electrode is formed in the reflective region and the transparent electrode is formed in the transmissive region, and the second substrate that is fixed at predetermined interval from the first substrate. This interval adjustment layer is adjuster of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective region on the second substrate, and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the reflective region is preferable to be set approximately the thickness of the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive region.
US07973875B2
The present invention relates to a flat-panel display member, including at least an anti-reflection layer, an electrically conductive layer and a transparent resin layer, having the anti-reflection layer disposed on a first face of the electrically conductive layer, and having the transparent resin layer disposed on a second face on the other side of the first face of the electrically conductive layer, wherein a peripheral portion of the above flat-panel display member has an electrode reaching the above electrically conductive layer or the above transparent resin layer from the outermost surface of said first face side. The present invention provides a flat-panel display member capable of being produced with good production efficiency and excellent in electromagnetic wave shielding performance and visibility, and its manufacturing method.
US07973856B2
An image snapping device includes a body, a support rod, an image-snapping module and an outer hollow cylinder. The support rod is pivotally connected to the body. The image-snapping module is pivotally connected to the support rod and has a camera rotatable relative to the support rod. The outer hollow cylinder houses the image snapping module and is rotatably connected with the image snapping module, wherein the outer hollow cylinder has multiple lenses, one of which the camera is selectively aligned with.
US07973852B2
Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus including an evaluation value calculator periodically calculating evaluation values using high frequency components of image signals in a specific region of a subject image. The auto-focus apparatus further includes a control unit for outputting instruction values provided to a lens driver based on the evaluation values, conducting operation to search the peak of the evaluation values while moving positions of the focus lens, returning the lens to the position corresponding to the point at which the relative maximum has been detected after having detected the relative maximum of the evaluation values, obtaining the evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculator, and determining whether or not the evaluation value satisfies a prescribed condition; and a storage for storing determination results. In the auto-focus apparatus, the control unit determines whether or not the auto-focus apparatus includes abnormal portions based on the determination results.
US07973849B2
An aspect of the present invention provides an image taking apparatus, comprising: a solid-state image sensor; and a taking lens including a lens barrel that houses a lens disposed in front of the solid-state image sensor, wherein a shielding member that blocks an electromagnetic wave radiated from the front surface of the solid-state image sensor is provided on an outer circumference of the lens barrel, and a metallic member electrically floating in the lens barrel is grounded.
US07973845B2
A method and apparatus for performing correlated double sampling to remove low frequency noise. The method and apparatus includes an active pixel of an array of active pixels comprising a sensor circuit for collecting radiation induced charges and transducing them to a measurement signal corresponding to the amount of charge collected, two memory elements for storing the measurement signal at the beginning and the end of a first integration period respectively, and at least one further memory element for storing at least the measurement signal at the beginning of a next integration period.
US07973844B2
The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup apparatus which allows, when being applied as an element of a solid-state image pickup array, to reduce a non-sensitive region between the adjacent devices, and can thus obtain more accurate imaging results. The solid-state image pickup apparatus comprises a photodetecting section, an output section, a row selecting section, and a column selecting section, and further comprises M waveform shaping circuits as waveform shaping means for shaping the waveforms of row selecting signals. A row selecting signal outputted from the row selecting section is shaped by the waveform shaping circuit and is then inputted into N pixels that constitute an mth row of the photodetecting section.
US07973839B2
The solid image pickup device of the present invention comprises a photoelectric conversion part, a charge-voltage conversion part for converting electric charges from the photoelectric conversion part to voltage signals, a signal amplifier for amplifying the voltage signals generated in the charge-voltage conversion part, charge transfer means for transferring photo-electric charges from the photoelectric conversion part to the charge-voltage conversion part, and means for applying a certain voltage to a charge-voltage conversion part, wherein at least two readout operations for reading out the photo-electric charges accumulated during a period of accumulating photo-electric charges in the photoelectric conversion part via a signal amplifier.
US07973837B2
An image sensor may have a pixel array and an imaging lens for forming an image on the pixel array. The sensor may also include a pixel readout unit for enabling individual pixel values to be readout. The sensor may further include a pixel selection unit wherein at least one pixel sub-array is selected according to the pixel values readout and the at least one sub-array is used for reading the image.
US07973835B2
This invention is to provide a solid-state image pickup apparatus including a photoelectric conversion unit (PD), transfer switch (MTX) for transferring signal charges from the photoelectric conversion unit, capacitance for holding the transferred signal charges, and amplification transistor (MSF) for outputting a signal corresponding to the signal charges held by the capacitance. The amplification transistor includes a capacitance unit (CFD) having the first capacitance value and an additive capacitance unit (Cox) for adding a capacitance to the capacitance unit to increase the first capacitance value and obtain the second capacitance value. A signal read-out from the amplification transistor has a first read-out mode in which a signal is read out while keeping the signal charges held by the capacitance unit and additive capacitance unit, and a second read-out mode in which a signal is read out while keeping the signal charges held by the capacitance unit.
US07973822B2
A drive device includes an actuator, a fixed member, a movable member, rotating members, and a guide member. The actuator is arranged on the fixed member, and includes a piezoelectric element and at least two drivers on the piezoelectric element in parallel with the central axis of the piezoelectric element. The movable member moves by the drivers on the fixed member. The rotating members are located between the fixed member and the movable member to support the movable member. The guide member is arranged on at least one of the fixed member and the movable member, and guides movement of the rotating members in a direction parallel to the central axis of the piezoelectric element. The drivers are located between the rotating members in the direction parallel to the central axis of the piezoelectric element.
US07973820B2
The blurring caused by a tiny tremor movement is eliminated, which almost perfectly without being affected by intentional camera movement by distinguishing the unintentional tremor movement from other movements (or disturbances). A motion detector includes: a motion detecting section for detecting a movement of an image capture device and outputting a detection signal, of which the amplitude and frequency represent the movement; a motion signal generating section for generating a motion signal representing a physical quantity corresponding to the magnitude of the movement based on the detection signal; a notification signal generating section for generating a notification signal that marks start and end of a movement of the image capture device, which is a non-tremor movement, based on the detection signal that has been output; and a control section for controlling the motion signal generating section by reference to the notification signal such that an output of the motion signal is fixed at a predetermined one from the start through the end of the non-tremor movement.
US07973816B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit which forms an image on a printing medium; a main body casing which accommodates the image forming unit; a feeding unit which feeds the stored medium to the image forming unit; and a rotation coupling unit which couples the feeding unit with the bottom surface of the main body casing to rotate at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom surface of the main body casing.
US07973815B2
A method for maintaining a peel location and for peeling a layer of media from a surface in a thermal printer. An optical probe, that includes a light source and a photodetector, transmits light from the optical probe toward a first web. The web reflects a portion of the transmitted light onto the photodetector, which then outputs an electrical signal which is compared with a preselected signal level and the difference between them provides an indication as to how much adjustment the peel location requires. Adjusting the peel location may comprise changing environmental characteristics of the first web or the second web (surface) or adjusting a tension of the first or second web. The difference between the measured electrical signal levels is related to a physical distance of the first web from the desired peel location.
US07973808B2
A map display apparatus includes a display unit, a data access unit accessible to map data, which includes a map image and character strings, and a control unit that allows the display unit to display the map data on a screen in such a manner that each character string is overlaid on a corresponding position on the map image. The control unit interprets the character string having characters, the number of which exceeding a predetermined maximum number of characters, as a scroll character string. The control unit creates a scroll display field in the corresponding position to the scroll character string and causes the scroll character string to scroll within the scroll display field.
US07973802B1
An apparatus and method for converting color data from one color space to another color space. A driver determines that a set of shader program instructions perform a color conversion function and the set of shader program instructions are replaced with either a single shader program instruction or a flag is set within an existing shader program instruction to specify that output color data is represented in a nonlinear color format. The output color data is converted to the nonlinear color format prior to being stored in a frame buffer. Nonlinear color data read from the frame buffer is converted to a linear color format prior to shading, blending, or raster operations.
US07973799B2
In a technique for rendering non-linear BRDFs that are stable in both the temporal and spatial domains, without serious interruption to the content creation pipeline used in most games, non-linear content is linearized by rendering in texture space at a fixed resolution. A MIP-map chain is calculated from this texture. The complete MIP-map chain is used for rendering on a display device. Low resolution reflectance parameters are used to approximate the highest resolution reflectance parameters as the object becomes smaller on the display device. The low resolution reflectance parameters are calculated using non linear fitting techniques.
US07973797B2
Techniques for implementing blending equations for various blending modes with a base set of operations are described. Each blending equation may be decomposed into a sequence of operations. In one design, a device includes a processing unit that implements a set of operations for multiple blending modes and a storage unit that stores operands and results. The processing unit receives a sequence of instructions for a sequence of operations for a blending mode selected from the plurality of blending modes and executes each instruction in the sequence to perform blending in accordance with the selected blending mode. The processing unit may include (a) an ALU that performs at least one operation in the base set, e.g., a dot product, (b) a pre-formatting unit that performs gamma correction and alpha scaling of inbound color values, and (c) a post-formatting unit that performs gamma compression and alpha scaling of outbound color values.
US07973795B2
An image display system includes: an information processing apparatus that performs a predetermined image correcting process on image data; an image display apparatus that displays an image on the basis of the image data corrected by the information processing apparatus; and a signal transmitting member that connects the information processing apparatus and the image display apparatus and transmits signals therebetween. The information processing apparatus includes: a first image correction processing unit that performs a predetermined image correcting process on the image data; and a transmission data generating unit that compresses the image data corrected by the first image correction processing unit to generate transmission data to be transmitted to the image display apparatus through the signal transmitting member. The image display apparatus includes: an image generating unit that generates the image data on the basis of the transmission data generated by the transmission data generating unit; and a second image correction processing unit that performs at least one of a ghost correcting process and a cross talk correcting process on the image data. The first image correction processing unit performs image correcting processes other than the ghost correcting process and the cross talk correcting process performed by the second image correction processing unit.
US07973780B2
An electromagnetic interference (EMI) prevention apparatus for a flat panel display which is capable of modulating the frequency of an input clock signal using a spread spectrum clocking method to increase the frequency of the clock signal and reduce the amplitude thereof so as to reduce EMI by a clock signal generated from a format converter of the flat panel display. The amount of electromagnetic energy radiated from a signal source of the flat panel display can be reduced to eradicate the root of an EMI problem, thus excluding the use of a conventional shielding plate device.
US07973774B2
A system for enabling user interaction with computer software which includes a printer for receiving print data, printing a form, using the print data, by printing information related to at least one text field coincident with coded data indicative of the text field, receiving indicating data from a sensing device and transferring the indicating data to a computer system to allow the interaction to be interpreted. The sensing device when moved relative to the text field senses the coded data and generates the indicating data using the sensed coded data to be indicative of the relative movement of the sensing device. The coded data is indicative of an identity and the computer system determines the identity using the indicating data, determines a page description using the identity, and identifies the text field using the page description.
US07973773B2
A method and apparatus are provided providing a touch screen having multipoint sensing and/or force based sensing and feedback capability useful in many applications which extend beyond traditional computer applications. The touch screen can be located in many non-traditional locations as well, such as desks, tables, walls, vehicles, and the like. The apparatus may be used by a single user, or multiple users, employing fingers, hands, feet and other body portions, if desired or practical. Related applications for virtual image or physical control applications are also disclosed.
US07973759B2
A system and a method for driving light emitters of a liquid crystal display (LCD) backlight module is disclosed. The system drives the light emitters by supplying a constant current and a pulse width modulated current to an individual light emitter, the pulse width modulated current being determined in accordance with an optical output of the light emitter. Accordingly, the system can provide a desired amount of current to the light emitters, and individually control the optical output of the light emitters.
US07973756B2
In order to provide a reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus where, even when the pixel size is small, the crosstalk between a signal line and an end of a capacitor can be decreased, thus resulting in a good output image, by forming a signal line 2 for transmitting an image signal to each pixel with a second metal layer, by placing a shield line 12 between a capacitor electrode 10 constituting a capacitor and the signal line 2 with a first metal layer, and by giving a fixed potential, shielding is provided to prevent occurrence of cross-talk. The capacitor is configured with a common electrode 11 and a capacitor electrode 10, having a diffusion layer formed on a semiconductor substrate. By placing the capacitor electrode having a diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and the common electrode having a fixed potential below the signal line, shielding is provided to prevent occurrence of cross-talk.
US07973750B2
A projector includes a lighting device, a first image forming unit including first through third light modulation elements, a second image forming unit including fourth through sixth light modulation elements, a polarization combining optical system, a projection optical system, and an image correction device, wherein the image correction device, based on one of combined transmittance and combined reflectance obtained by combining one of transmittances and reflectances corresponding to gray-scale values of two of the first through sixth light modulation elements for modulating the same colored light beam, outputs the drive value corresponding to the input image data for driving the two light modulation elements corresponding to the predetermined colored light beam.
US07973745B2
On a panel, a plurality of PVDD lines, each of which corresponds to a horizontal line of pixels and supplies power to the pixels of the horizontal line, are provided. A voltage drop correction unit that obtains a voltage drop before reaching the pixel, based on resistance in the plurality of power supply lines and currents flowing therein, and corrects display data so as to cancel the obtained voltage drop of the pixel. A display unevenness correction unit that corrects uneven brightness caused by a variation in a TFT characteristic of the pixel by performing a calculation using display data of the pixel and obtained correction data of the pixel.
US07973742B2
A method for driving a field emission device (FED) applies an alternating (AC) voltage as a driving voltage for emitting electrons in a field emission device comprising cathode electrode including an emitter and an anode electrode facing the cathode electrode. A method for aging an FED uses a constant voltage so that electrons cannot be emitted from the electron emission source, and an AC voltage so that electrons can be periodically emitted from the emitter when the FED is aged.
US07973733B2
An antenna that includes a first plane, a second plane spaced apart from the first plane, a first radiating surface, positioned substantially on the first plane, to act as a poise, a second radiating surface to act as a counterpoise, and an end-feed microstrip positioned on the second plane, wherein the first radiating surface and the second radiating surface are electromagnetically coupled to the end-feed microstrip.
US07973730B2
An adjustable integrated circuit antenna structure includes a plurality of antenna elements, a coupling circuit, a ground plane, and a transmission line circuit. The coupling circuit is operable to couple at least one of the plurality of antenna elements into an antenna based on an antenna structure characteristic signal, wherein the antenna has at least one of an effective length, a bandwidth, an impedance, a quality factor, and a frequency band in accordance with the antenna characteristic signal. The ground plane is proximal to the plurality of antenna elements. The transmission line circuit is coupled to provide an outbound radio frequency (RF) signal to the antenna and receive an inbound RF signal from the antenna.
US07973729B2
An antenna assembly is capable of being installed in a structure wherein the structure includes a covering and a substructure and the antenna assembly is configured with thin film materials to have a total thickness such that the antenna assembly can be disposed between the substructure and the covering. The antenna assembly may have a total thickness not greater than about 15 millimeters (mm), and may include at least one of a transmitter antenna, a transceiver antenna, and a receiver antenna. The receiver antenna may be configured as an air core antenna or a non-air core antenna. The receiver antenna may be configured as a non-air core receiver antenna in an internal compartment over or within a base insulating layer. The antenna assembly may be at least partially housed within a housing assembly of thin film materials so that both can be disposed between the substructure and the covering.
US07973726B2
A multi-antenna module comprises a ground plane, a primary conductor, a secondary conductor and a plurality of coupling conductors, wherein the framework of the parallel primary radiation arm and secondary radiation arm can infinitely expand the number of antenna units in the same antenna structure. The capacitive coupling effect of parallel radiation arms and the inductance of the radiation arms themselves can effectively reduce the signal interference between antennae, whereby a plurality of antennae can be integrated to achieve antenna miniaturization. The primary conductor, the secondary conductor and the coupling conductors are all connected to the same ground plane, whereby the layout space is reduced, and the multi-antenna module is easy-to-assemble for various electronic devices.
US07973715B2
A system to determine a direction of arrival of each of a plurality of constituent signals of a superimposed wave includes a tripole radio antenna, a sampling unit, a frequency determining unit, an amplitude and phase determining unit, and a direction determining unit. The sampling unit is configured to periodically sample an output of the tripole radio antenna to generate at least two samples. The frequency determining unit is configured to determine frequencies for each dimension of the constituent signals by performing a unitary matrix pencil method on the at least two samples. The amplitude and phase determining unit is configured to determine x, y, z amplitudes and x, y, z phases for each constituent signal using the determined frequencies. The direction determining unit is configured to determine a direction of arrival for each of the constituent signals from the determined frequencies, amplitudes, and phases.
US07973714B2
A beam switching antenna method and apparatus for controlling a beam switching antenna system including an antenna element for forming a beam, at least one conductive reflector for reflecting the beam, and a ground switch for applying a reference voltage to the at least one conductive reflector, the method includes forming the beam of the antenna element, and imparting the formed beam with a predetermined beam pattern by controlling the ground switch to apply the reference voltage to at least one conductive reflector.
US07973713B2
Described herein are systems and methods that eliminate the need for costly and complex switching networks for routing channelized data between antenna elements and beamformers. In one aspect, a beamforming system comprises a beamformer for each antenna element of an antenna array, in which the beamformers for the different antenna elements are arranged in parallel. The beamforming system also comprises a combiner that combines the outputs of the beamformers into a single beam. In one aspect, the beamformers of antenna elements that do not contribute to a desired beam output zeros to the combiner, which when added to the subbeams of the other beamformers have no affect of the final beam. In another aspect, operations (e.g., multiplication, memory reads) of each beamformer that does not contribute to a desired beam may be turned off to conserve power.
US07973711B2
Methods of operating a satellite navigation system (SNS) receiver in a portable electronic device according to some embodiments include determining the presence or absence of a low frequency signal associated with power distribution lines, and disabling the SNS receiver in response to detecting the low frequency signal associated with power distribution lines. The methods may further include detecting weakening of a satellite navigation signal, and determining the presence or absence of a low frequency signal associated with power distribution lines may be performed in response to a detected weakening of the satellite navigation signal. Related devices are also disclosed.
US07973709B2
An electronic device for decoding a navigation data by using a phase angle variation and a method thereof are described, which includes the following steps. A phase angle difference between the first phase angle of the first navigation data and the second phase angle of the second navigation data from a satellite signal is calculated. When the phase angle difference is greater than 90 degrees, the first navigation data and the second navigation data are determined to have opposite signs. The second navigation data according to the first navigation data and the result is determined. Therefore, each data is interpreted through directly comparing whether the phase angle difference with the previous data is greater than 90 degrees or not, so that the correct rate in decoding the navigation data is increased.
US07973708B2
The present invention provides a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based positioning system and tracking method using a data communication network. When a GNSS-based positioning device is connected to a data communication network, the positioning device transfers the GNSS digital data and supplementary information used for additional performance improvement to a location tracking server through the data communication network, the location tracking server calculates a position of the positioning device with improved receiver sensitivity based on plentiful computational resources available at the location tracking server. Thus, the positioning device may find its location of even in very poor signal condition. Further, the present invention provides a positioning system and method using a data communication network, which may achieve time synchronization when there is a need to extract not only position information but also absolute timing information.
US07973695B2
An electronic apparatus includes: an AD conversion section that has a comparing section, which receives a reference signal whose level changes gradually from a reference signal generating section that generates the reference signal and which compares the reference signal with an analog signal to be processed, and a counter section, which receives a count clock for AD conversion and performs a count operation on the basis of a comparison result of the comparing section, and that acquires digital data of the signal to be processed on the basis of output data of the counter section; a count operation period control section that controls an operation period of the counter section in each processing period on the basis of the comparison result of the comparing section; and a driving control section that controls the reference signal generating section and the AD conversion section.
US07973692B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for analog to digital conversion. For example, a latch based analog to digital converter is disclosed that includes a first interleave with a set of comparators, a selector circuit and a latch. The set of comparators is operable to compare an analog input with respective reference voltages, and is synchronized to a clock phase. The selector circuit is operable to select an output of one of the set of comparators based at least in part on a selector input. A first interleave output is derived from the selected output. The latch receives a second interleave output from a second interleave and is transparent when the clock phase is asserted. The selector input includes an output of the latch.
US07973687B2
A differential switch circuit includes a first differential switch basic circuit (1) and a second differential switch basic circuit (2). The first differential switch basic circuit (1) has a first common source node (N1) shared by a plurality of transistors (TP121 and TP122), and the second differential switch basic circuit (2) has a second common source node (N2) shared by a plurality of transistors (TP131 and TP132). The first common source node (N1) and the second common source node (N2) are alternately reset to a predetermined voltage in each clock cycle.
US07973670B2
An object is to provide a display device, in a part of which a monitor light emitting element is provided and in which an anode and a cathode of the monitor light emitting element are prevented from short-circuiting in an early stage and over time by using a circuit which corrects a voltage or a current to be supplied to a light emitting element in consideration of electrical property fluctuation of the monitor light emitting element, and a method for inspecting the display device. A monitor light emitting element is provided, which is electrically connected to a monitor line for supplying a current is provided, and a circuit is provided, which electrically disconnects the monitor light emitting element when an anode and a cathode of the monitor light emitting element are short-circuited in an early stage or over time. Further, a circuit for checking circuit operation before or after a step of providing the monitor light emitting element is provided.
US07973664B1
A closure comprising a top wall with an annular side wall depending there from. An induction foil is proximate an inner surface of the top wall and may have a ring or circular configuration. An RFID device is affixed or is integral with the closure a minimum distance from and/or orientation with the induction foil as to prevent damage to the RFID device during an induction sealing process and to reduce adverse operational effects of the RFID from the foil. The RFID may be active or passive and may be proximate or integral with the top wall or integral with the side wall of the closure. The RFID may be contained within a film wherein a portion of the film is inductively sealed to the closure.
US07973663B2
A method, system and electronic article surveillance tag deactivator detect the presence of an electronic article surveillance tag within a deactivation zone. Video of an item within the deactivation zone is captured. The video is evaluated using a pattern recognition technique to determine the presence of an electronic article surveillance tag within the deactivation zone. The electronic article surveillance tag is deactivated.
US07973660B2
A method and system for preventing simultaneous deactivation of multiple electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) tags. An RF pulse is transmitted within an EAS interrogation zone to induce a response from at least one EAS tag placed within the interrogation zone. The response of the at least one EAS tag is received. A presence of more than one EAS tag is determined by evaluating a frequency response curve corresponding to the response.
US07973659B2
A security system comprises a system control panel for arming and disarming the security system. A door sensing unit comprises a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver interconnected with the system control panel over a network. The first RF transceiver is mounted proximate to a door that defines at least a portion of a perimeter around an area to be monitored by the security system. The first RF transceiver has an RF detection field proximate to the door. A disarm device comprises a second RF transceiver that automatically transmits a disarm device packet. The first RF transceiver receives the disarm device packet when the second RF transceiver is within the RF detection field. The first RF transceiver sends a disarm message to the system control panel over the network to disarm the security system based on at least the disarm device packet.
US07973656B2
A device for detecting a suspicious activity, efficiently performing surveillance of a person and vehicle detected by a surveillance camera. The device uses signal generation means, a sensor for receiving a signal from the signal generation means, and image data taken by the camera. The device detects mobile bodies, such as a person and a vehicle, included in an image taken by the camera and uses them as mobile body information, uses as authentication information an ID number represented by a signal received by the sensor, defines permitted activities and prohibited activities according to authorized activities corresponding to authentication information, and issues an alarm when the device detects that an activity represented by mobile body activity information is a illegal or prohibited activity.
US07973647B2
A method and apparatus for remotely operating at least one remote controlled appliance through a monitor station of a video interphone. The appliance itself being capable of operation by a remote control device. The monitor station includes a receiving input, a central processing unit, a memory, select keys and at least one output. The remote control device is used for generating a coded signal to the receiving input which filters the received coded signal for feeding a clean envelope of the coded signal to the central processing unit. The central processing unit processes the envelope and generates counted data pertaining to the envelope and indexes and stores the counted data into the memory. One of the select keys is assigned for retrieving and feeding the counted data to the output on the basis of the indexing. The output regenerates the coded signal for operating the appliance.
US07973646B2
A method and an apparatus for inspecting radio frequency identification (RFID) tags which utilize a way of shielding for inspecting whether RFID tags function properly or not. The method of the present invention comprises steps of: reading a plurality of RFID tags in a readable zone; and determining whether there is any malfunctional RFID tag in the plurality of RFID tags. If all the plurality of RFID tags function properly, the method will check a next plurality of RFID tags. If there is at least one unreadable RFID tag, the at least one malfunctional RFID tag will be found by shielding one or the plurality of RFID tags. By means of the disclosure in the present invention, the present method and apparatus are capable of improving the efficiency during inspection and simplifying the design of a readable zone.
US07973643B2
RFID readers transmit data to query tags at one or more data rates. Before transmitting data, the RFID readers also transmit special preambles that inform of the data rate that will be used for transmitting the data. The preambles have a call aspect and a rate aspect. The rate aspect has a feature substantially determined from a rate selected for transmitting the data. The feature may encode the rate indirectly or explicitly. The call aspect may be implemented by call transitions that define a timing, whose duration is independent of the selected rate. The duration may be advantageously set according to an assumed state of the RFID tag bandwidth filter. Therefore an RFID tag may use the call aspect of the preamble to prepare itself for receiving data, and the rate aspect to determine its rate of transmission for setting its filter bandwidth accordingly.
US07973638B2
A voltage non-linear resistor ceramic composition has ZnO as a main component and is represented by the general formula (1−x)ZnO+x[Sr1−yMy]1−a[Co1−zAz]1+aO3. Here, M is at least one of Ca and Ba, and A is Mn or Cr. x, y, z and a indicate molar ratios, and 0.0005≦x≦0.10, 0≦y≦0.8, 0≦z≦0.8, and −0.1≦a≦0.2 are satisfied.
US07973632B2
The invention comprises a power filtering method and apparatus.
US07973627B2
A solenoid actuator (1) attached to a hydraulic equipment comprises a shaft (5) connected to the hydraulic equipment, a plunger (4) fixed to the shaft (5), a coil (12) which magnetically drives the plunger (4), and a first bearing (7) and a second bearing (8) supporting the shaft (5) on both sides of the plunger (4). A plunger front chamber (74) is formed between the first bearing (7) and the plunger (4), a plunger rear chamber (75) is formed between the plunger (4) and the second bearing (8), and a second bearing rear chamber (76) is formed on the opposite side of the second bearing (8) to the plunger rear chamber (75). To secure an oil flow between these chambers, a plunger exterior oil passage (63), a second bearing oil passage (64), and a shaft-penetrating oil passage (65) are provided, thereby realizing a preferable balance between oil pressures acting on the second bearing (8).
US07973622B2
An apparatus for auxiliary contact of circuit breaker is disclosed that is capable of preventing an erroneous operation of and damage to an ON/OFF switch caused by over-stroke of a linkage mounted at an auxiliary contact apparatus, and enhancing reliability despite repeated opening/closing thereof.
US07973617B2
An unequal three-way divider divides an input signal into three in-phase signals whose power ratio is different between a center and both ends. The unequal three-way divider includes an input terminal, and three output terminals for outputting a three-divided signal respectively, and three transmission lines branched from the input terminal are provided between the input terminal and the three output terminals. The transmission line connected to the center output terminal has a first transmission line which is connected in series and a second transmission line whose electrical length is ¼ wave length. Two transmission lines connected to the output terminals at both ends have a third transmission line which is connected in series and a fourth transmission line whose electrical length is ¼ wave length respectively. An absorption resistor is provided between a connection point between the first transmission line and the second transmission line and connection points between the third transmission lines and the fourth transmission lines respectively. An electrical length of the first transmission line or the third transmission line is ¼ wave length.
US07973612B2
A supply-regulated Phase-locked loop (PLL) is provided. The PLL comprises a supply-regulating loop, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a programmable decoupling capacitor array for the VCO. The capacitance of the VCO decoupling capacitor array is adjustable to be equal to N times CUNIT, where N is the current value of a multiplication factor of a divide-by-N circuit and CUNIT is a unit capacitance characterized for a processing technology chosen for fabricating the decoupling capacitor array. When the PLL switches from one frequency band to another, a higher-order pole introduced by the VCO decoupling capacitor tracks the PLL reference frequency, thus improving the PLL operational stability.
US07973611B2
An apparatus in one example comprises a die structure that comprises a middle layer, a first outside layer, and a second outside layer. The middle layer comprises a cavity that holds an alkali metal, and one of the first outside layer and the second outside layer comprises a channel that leads to the cavity. The middle layer, the first outside layer, and the second outside layer comprise dies from one or more wafer substrates.
US07973610B2
An object of the invention is to provide a surface mount type crystal oscillator in which a probe can be easily brought into contact with a crystal inspection terminal. The surface mount type crystal oscillator is such that a crystal piece and an IC chip are housed within a container main body having a bottom wall and frame wall formed with laminated ceramics, and a communication terminal is provided on an outer side surface of the container main body. The communication terminal is provided so as to span from the outer side surface of the bottom wall to the outer bottom surface of the outer wall, the communication terminal is made the crystal inspection terminal, and the crystal piece and the IC chip are arranged in parallel on the inner bottom surface within the container main body.
US07973600B2
The present invention relates to a power amplifier; and, more particularly, to a Doherty power amplifier. The power amplifier includes at least one carrier amplifier; at least one peaking amplifier arranged in parallel with the carrier amplifier in such a manner that the carrier amplifier and the peaking amplifier collectively operate as a Doherty amplifier; a plurality of input matching circuits, at least one of which is respectively connected to an input ends of the carrier amplifier and the peaking amplifier; at least one impedance control circuit, each of which is connected to an output end of each carrier amplifier for controlling a load line impedance of the said each carrier amplifier; at least one output matching circuit directly or indirectly connected to output ends of the impedance control circuit and the peaking amplifier; and at least one first delay circuit for matching delays between the carrier amplifier and the peaking amplifier. The present invention provides an improved Doherty power amplifier capable of achieving a further miniaturization and integration while maintaining an advantage in terms of efficiency and linearity of a Doherty power amplifier by employing an improved output and input matching method, and capable of operating more similar to the ideal operation of a Doherty power amplifier by applying an improved input power division method thereto.
US07973593B2
To solve the problem of the conventional reference voltage generation circuit in that an output voltage exceeds a predetermined voltage value, there is provided a reference voltage generation circuit including: a voltage generation circuit provided between a first power supply and a second power supply, to output an output voltage to an output terminal; an auxiliary start-up circuit provided between the output terminal and the first power supply, to supply a voltage of the first power supply to the output terminal; and a control circuit that switches the auxiliary start-up circuit between an operating state and a non-operating state according to a value of a voltage at the output terminal.
US07973590B2
A semiconductor device includes a first transmission line and a second transmission line disposed at different layers; a contact fuse coupled with the first transmission line and the second transmission line; a power driver configured to apply an electric stress to the contact fuse; and a fuse state output unit configured to output a fuse state signal having a logic level corresponding to an electric connection state of the contact fuse.
US07973579B2
A phase controller device according to the invention comprises a hardware core that is formed by a signal detector, a voltage-controlled oscillator, a phase comparator, and an integration unit, where the hardware core, by controlling the working clock pulse frequency of the microcontroller, brings an output clock pulse signal that is generated by a microcontroller into phase with the input clock pulse information that is received from the input data stream, and does so in such a manner that the jitter is low. The microcontroller executes a program with this working clock pulse, where with that program the microcontroller generates the output clock pulse signal with an output clock pulse frequency that is in a predetermined division ratio to the control clock pulse frequency that is generated by the voltage-controlled oscillator and is given to the microcontroller as a working clock pulse frequency. In this way the program enables the phase controller device according to the invention to process, with a microcontroller, external periodic signals, data, or events, where the software processes taking place in the microcontroller are always locked in phase with the periodic occurrence of these external signals, data, or events.
US07973562B1
An I/O module for an industrial controller provides single terminal outputs that may either sink or source current. This capability is provided through the use of dedicated sourcing and sinking transistors connected to the terminal and controlled by lockout logic ensuring activation of only the appropriate transistor in the correct phasing for sinking or sourcing operation modes.
US07973556B1
A method of operating an integrated circuit having a circuit block configurable by a configuration memory is disclosed. The method includes determining whether to operate the circuit block in a normal operation mode or a low power mode. The configuration memory is loaded with normal operation mode configuration data for the circuit block if the normal operation mode is determined. If the low power mode is determined, the configuration memory is loaded with low power mode configuration data for the circuit block.
US07973551B2
There is provided a printed circuit board (“PCB”) test fixture comprising a support, an electrical tester, and a pusher. The support is for supporting a PCB being tested in a PCB test position, The electrical tester is positioned with respect to the PCB test position such that, when a PCB is supported by the support in the PCB test position, the electrical tester is disposed in electrical contact with a circuit on the PCB supported by the support in the PCB test position during PCB testing. The pusher is configured for releasable coupling to a plurality of pusher members, such that each one of the plurality of pusher members is configured to co-operate with the pusher so as to become releasably coupled to and uncoupled from the pusher independently of the releasable coupling and uncoupling of at least another one of the plurality of pusher members, and such that an operative plurality of pusher members is provided when each one of the plurality of pusher members is releasably coupled to the pusher, wherein the operative plurality of pusher members is configured for translating, to a PCB which is supported by the PCB support and is disposed in the PCB test position, a force being applied by the pusher so as to effect pressing of a circuit of the PCB against the electrical tester when the PCB is supported on the PCB support and disposed in the PCB test position.
US07973547B2
A method for detecting a crack in a semiconductor wafer, which includes an electrical device and a connecting pad electrically coupled with the electrical device, is described. The crack is detected by an acoustic detector being acoustically coupled to the semiconductor wafer during contacting the contacting pad with a probe.
US07973536B2
An apparatus includes at least one Rogowski coil and a processor. The at least one Rogowski coil is positioned within an electrical power distribution network to detect a first traveling wave current caused by a fault on an electrical power transmission line of the network, generate a first signal indicative of detection of the first traveling wave, detect a second traveling wave current caused by the fault on the transmission line, and generate a second signal indicative of detection of the second traveling wave. The processor is adapted to receive the first signal and the second signal and to determine, based on the first signal and the second signal, where on the transmission line the fault occurred.
US07973517B2
The control device detects the B-terminal voltage by a B-terminal voltage detection section. When an abnormal voltage detection section detects that a voltage value of the detected B-terminal voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage value, all switching elements of the negative pole-side arm in a power conversion section are brought into conduction by a negative pole-side arm short-circuiting section, whereas all switching elements of a positive pole-side arm are interrupted. In addition, a field current is limited to zero or to a limit value by a field current control section.
US07973515B2
A power management system includes a battery pack having a battery controller and includes an adapter operable for charging the battery pack and powering a system load. The adapter generates a power recognition signal indicative of a maximum adapter power and receives a control signal. The battery controller in the battery pack receives the power recognition signal and generates the control signal to adjust an output power of the adapter according to a status of the battery pack and a status of the system load.
US07973514B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a cell balancing circuit used for balancing a cell. The cell balancing circuit includes a bypass path coupled to the cell, a current regulator coupled to the bypass path, and a bleeding control switch. The current regulator is operable for producing a current and for controlling a conductance status of the bypass path. The bleeding control switch conducts the bypass path in response to the current produced by the current regulator.
US07973508B2
The present invention discloses a system and method for monitoring and diagnosing a robot mechanism. This requires adding intelligence to the diagnostics by parameters of physical robot arm linkages respecting component relative rotation or load transfer; storing rotation or translation relationship parameters characteristic of resonant frequencies between at least one mechanical link; receiving servo motor signals; digitizing and storing servo known normal data time histories; performing a time domain to frequency domain transformation on signal to identify components which are out-of band limit pre-sets.
US07973506B2
The invention discloses a method for controlling a power car window lift. The method includes the following steps: detecting an operation state signal of the car window with a detection element; inputting the detection signal of the detection element into the controller; and the controller sending a control signal to an actuator, which controls the operation state of the car window lift. The main control element of the controller is a thyristor or an equivalent functional element. The car window lift's operation state signal includes a car window closed obstacle signal, a car window closed-in-place signal, a car window opened-in-place signal, and a car window opened obstacle signal. The invention further discloses a device for implementing the method for controlling the power car window.
US07973491B2
A multi-lamp backlight apparatus is disclosed. The multi-lamp backlight apparatus includes 2N lamps, N balancing transformers, and a high-voltage power source. N is a positive integer and k is an integer index ranging from 1 to N. The kth balancing transformer among the N balancing transformers includes a first primary winding, a second primary winding, and a secondary winding. The first primary winding connects in series with the (2k−1)th lamp of the 2N lamps. The second primary winding connects in series with the first primary winding and the (2k)th lamp. The secondary winding corresponds to the first primary winding and the second primary winding. The high-voltage power source is connected between the first primary windings and the second primary windings.
US07973490B2
A voltage control apparatus (10) for an HID lamp includes a voltage control transformer circuit (20), and is connected between supply mains (22) and a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. The HID lamp is started at full line voltage, and after a sufficient operating interval ensuring that the lamp has achieved a sustaining temperature, the operating voltage applied to the lamp is reduced, effecting considerable savings in energy use, with little or only an acceptably small decrease in light output from the lamp. Further, the voltage control apparatus include a circuit portion responsive to voltage transients on the AC line, and which effects restarting of the HID lamp in the event a voltage transient occurs which is sufficiently long (i.e., about ½ cycle) as to extinguish the HID lamp.
US07973484B2
A main beam switching arrangement for a road vehicle has a lighting device switchable over main beam and dipped headlamps. A sensor device determines at least one ambient parameter, and a control unit with an activatable and deactivatable automatic function automatically switches over the lighting device as a function of the ambient parameter. An operator control unit generates switchover signals by an operator to manually bring about switching over the lighting device with priority. In each case, at least one change of state of the automatic function can be brought about by a first switchover signal for switching on continuous operation of the main beam that is not occurring at the time of signal generation. By way of a second switchover signal, continuous operation of the main beam, which is occurring at the time of signal generation, is switched off.
US07973479B2
A discharge lamp for a vehicle is provided with a ceramic luminous tube, a front side electrode and a rear side electrode held by the ceramic luminous tube, a first lead wire connected to the front side electrode, a second lead wire connected to the rear side electrode, a third lead wire having a front end portion connected to the first lead wire, an outer tube, and a socket. The ceramic luminous tube, the first lead wire, the second lead wire and the third lead wire are accommodated in the outer tube. The ceramic luminous tube includes a luminous portion and a pair of small diameter tube portions. The luminous portion is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape extending in a longitudinal direction. The third lead wire includes a horizontal portion extending in the longitudinal direction above the luminous portion.
US07973477B2
Provided is a PDP in which a weak discharge is always generated in a stable manner to lower the firing voltage, the generation of the reset luminous points is restricted to improve the image quality, and reduction of the luminous efficiency and reduction of the luminance are restricted to improve the luminance. A manufacturing method of the PDP is also provided.The PDP includes a front panel and a back panel arranged to face each other with a discharge space between the panels. A phosphor layer is provided in an area of the back panel that faces toward the discharge space. Part of the surface of the phosphor layer is covered with a phosphor-coating film as a high γ member. The phosphor-coating film is made of a material having a higher secondary electron emission coefficient than a material of the phosphor layer. The high γ member and the remaining are of the surface of the phosphor layer are exposed to the discharge space.
US07973476B2
The invention relates to a high-pressure mercury discharge lamp for DC operation at a nominal wattage of more than 1.5 kW. Said high-pressure mercury discharge lamp comprises an anode, at least some areas of which are made of a material containing at least some tungsten, said material having a grain number of more than 200 grains per mm2 and a density of more than 19.05 g/cm3.
US07973470B2
A display device includes a substrate having at least one light-emitting element. The light-emitting element includes one electrically-continuous electrode formed over the substrate. A separator is located on the electrically-continuous electrode, dividing the electrically-continuous electrode into at least first and second separate electrode portions that remain electrically continuous. A transparent layer is located over the first electrode portion, while separated from the second electrode portion. A light-emitting layer is formed over the transparent layer and the second electrode portion. A second electrode is formed over the light-emitting layer. The first electrode portion, the transparent layer, the light-emitting layer, and the second electrode comprise a first optical cavity having a first optical path length. The second electrode portion, the light-emitting layer, and the second electrode comprise a second optical cavity having a second optical path length different from the first optical path length.
US07973468B2
There are provided an organic EL device and a method of fabricating the same. An effective display area on which an anode electrode, an organic luminescence layer and a cathode electrode are formed is sealed by means of a metal can, a glass cap or an organic/inorganic material. A power source is applied to the anode and the cathode electrodes through a power transferring part extended from the effective display area to a non-effective display area. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the oxidation of the cathode electrode of the organic EL device, thereby preventing the electrical contact characteristics of the cathode electrode from being deteriorated.
US07973461B2
A light emitting device and a display device using the same. The light emitting device includes: a substrate provided with recesses formed in a stripe pattern; first electrodes disposed inside the recesses in a stripe pattern aligned parallel to the recesses; electron emission regions disposed on the first electrodes; second electrodes disposed in a stripe pattern aligned in a direction crossing the first electrodes and closely fixed to the substrate; and an adhesive member for fixing the second electrodes to the substrate. The second electrodes include mesh portions spaced apart from tops of the electron emission regions in crossing of the first electrodes and the second electrodes, supports surrounding the mesh portions and connected with the substrate, and combining grooves formed at edges of the supports facing the substrate. The adhesive members are disposed in the combining grooves of the second electrodes to connect the second electrodes with the substrate.
US07973451B2
The invention relates to an ultrasonic linear motor (1) comprising a plate-type ultrasonic oscillator (2) with two planar parallel main faces, two end faces and two lateral faces and a displaceable element (9) that engages with at least one guide rail (10) and has two friction parts, said element interacting with the ultrasonic oscillator to cause friction via the lateral faces of the friction parts. The lateral faces of the ultrasonic oscillator are planar and are inclined at the same angle in relation to a longitudinal plane of symmetry, in such a way that the intersection lines between the planes of the lateral faces and the longitudinal plane of symmetry run parallel to the main faces of the ultrasonic oscillator. The friction parts of the displaceable element are interconnected by springs.
US07973447B2
An electric motor 10 has a stator 14; a wound rotor 20, including a commutator 28; and brush gear for connecting the commutator to a source of electrical power. The brush gear has at least two cage brush assemblies 34. Each cage brush assembly 34 having a brush 40 for making sliding electrical contact with the commutator of the motor; a cage 50 for guiding the brush 40 along a path towards the commutator; and a spring 70 for resiliently urging the brush 40 along the path through the cage 50. The spring 70 is a constant force spring having two coiled end portions which engage the cage 50 at a commutator end portion. The cage 50 has two fingers about which the coiled end portions of the spring 70 locate.
US07973444B2
Disclosed herein is an electric machine rotor. The rotor includes, a rotatable shaft, a plurality of pole segments attached to the shaft, and a plurality of magnets attached to the plurality of pole segments such that one of the plurality of magnets is positioned circumferentially between adjacent pole segments and each of the plurality of magnets has nonparallel circumferentially opposing sides.
US07973438B2
AC generator for vehicles is provided with a frame that supports a rotor and a stator, a rectifier that rectifies an output of the stator and has an output terminal, and a rear cover that covers electric parts including the rectifier. The rear cover is provided with a drain hole in the side part of the output terminal, and a wall part that adjoins the drain hole provided in the output terminal side.
US07973431B2
A circuit arrangement for locking and/or unlocking a door lock, especially in an electric appliance that is provided with a door for closing or opening a work area. Said circuit arrangement comprises an electrically actuated door lock actuator which acts upon a locking member when a current flows through the actuator, said locking member locking or unlocking the door lock. A series connection that is composed of two switching devices is arranged in the triggering circuit of the door lock actuator, said two switching devices being controllable by the control device which emits output signals to actuate the two switching devices once specific triggering signals have been fed to the control device.
US07973427B2
The disclosure relates to a converter control unit or power system stabilizing unit for counteracting oscillations in electric power systems that is equipped and employed to provide and processes information for system-wide monitoring, protection, control and metering. It comprises means for synchronized (e.g. via GPS or another absolute/global time reference) sampling of voltages and/or currents, means for down-sampling in order to decrease the number of samples, and means for calculating phasors, i.e. time stamped amplitude and phase angle of the voltages and/or currents.
US07973421B2
A jet engine, in particular for an aircraft, having a high-pressure compressor that is situated inside a compressor housing, the high-pressure compressor having blade elements that, through their rotational motion, compress air flowing into the high-pressure compressor via an intake channel, the high-pressure compressor having a plurality of compressor stages on which the blade elements are situated, and the jet engine also having an integrated electric motor/generator unit, wherein the motor/generator unit is situated in the rotational plane of the at least first compressor stage of the high-pressure compressor, and includes a stator that extends around the periphery of the compressor housing, as well as a runner that is formed by the blade elements of the at least first compressor stage, and that the motor/generator unit has an output power of 100 kVA to 150 kVA.
US07973419B2
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate, a p-type impurity diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, and Ni silicide formed on the diffusion layer, wherein an alignment mark for lithography is formed on the Ni silicide.
US07973411B2
Microfeature workpieces having conductive vias formed by chemically reactive processes, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes disposing a conductive lining on walls of a via in a microfeature workpiece, so that a space is located between opposing portions of the lining facing toward each other from opposing portions of the wall. The method can further include chemically reacting the lining with a reactive material to form a chemical compound from a constituent of the reactive material and a constituent of the lining. The method can still further include at least partially filling the space with the compound. In particular embodiments, the conductive lining includes copper, the reactive material includes sulfur hexafluoride, and the chemical compound that at least partially fills the space in the via includes copper sulfide.
US07973409B2
The present invention provides an interconnect structure (of the single or dual damascene type) and a method of forming the same, in which a dense (i.e., non-porous) dielectric spacer is present on the sidewalls of a dielectric material. More specifically, the inventive structure includes a dielectric material having a conductive material embedded within at least one opening in the dielectric material, wherein the conductive material is laterally spaced apart from the dielectric material by a diffusion barrier, a dense dielectric spacer and, optionally, an air gap. The presence of the dense dielectric spacer results in a hybrid interconnect structure that has improved reliability and performance as compared with existing prior art interconnect structures which do not include such dense dielectric spacers. Moreover, the inventive hybrid interconnect structure provides for better process control which leads to the potential for high volume manufacturing.
US07973404B2
A relay board provided in a semiconductor device, including an entire main surface that is made of a conductive material. The relay board may further include a substrate made of the same material as at least one semiconductor element provided in the semiconductor device. The main surface of the relay board may be formed at an upper part of the substrate.
US07973395B2
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor chip configured to process a signal in a radio frequency band; two conductive antenna connection pins connected with two external antenna conductors, respectively; an island for the semiconductor chip to be mounted thereon; a suspending pin connected with the island; and an antenna connection conductor configured to connect the two antenna connection pins without connection with the island and the suspending pin. A series connection of one of the two external antenna conductors, one of the two antenna connection pins, the antenna connection conductor section, the other of the two antenna connection pins and the other of the two external antenna conductors in this order, functions as an antenna by connecting the series connection with the semiconductor chip.
US07973392B2
An electronic device including a shielded electronic element, and a method for manufacturing a shielding structure. An oxide film is formed on the surface of a silicon substrate having a [100] face. Part of the oxide film is removed to form a first window region. Silicon substrates are joined together to form an SOI substrate, which includes a buried mask having a second window region. Substrate thinning is then performed, and oxide films are formed on the two surfaces of the SOI substrate so that the first window region has a large area and includes the region above the buried second window region. Then, anisotropic etching is performed to form a cap that includes a step. Wire bonding for shielding is performed on the step.
US07973389B2
A method of forming an isolated tri-gate semiconductor body comprises patterning a bulk substrate to form a fin structure, depositing an insulating material around the fin structure, recessing the insulating material to expose a portion of the fin structure that will be used for the tri-gate semiconductor body, depositing a nitride cap over the exposed portion of the fin structure to protect the exposed portion of the fin structure, and carrying out a thermal oxidation process to oxidize an unprotected portion of the fin structure below the nitride cap. The oxidized portion of the fin isolates the semiconductor body that is being protected by the nitride cap. The nitride cap may then be removed. The thermal oxidation process may comprise annealing the substrate at a temperature between around 900° C. and around 1100° C. for a time duration between around 0.5 hours and around 3 hours.
US07973372B2
An insulated-gate field-effect transistor (100) provided along an upper surface of a semiconductor body contains a pair of source/drain zones (240 and 242) laterally separated by a channel zone (244). A gate electrode (262) overlies a gate dielectric layer (260) above the channel zone. Each source/drain zone includes a main portion (240M or 242M) and a more lightly doped lateral extension (240E or 242E) laterally continuous with the main portion and extending laterally under the gate electrode. The lateral extensions, which terminate the channel zone along the upper semiconductor surface, are respectively largely defined by a pair of semiconductor dopants of different atomic weights. With the transistor being an asymmetric device, the source/drain zones constitute a source and a drain. The lateral extension of the source is defined with dopant of higher atomic weight than the lateral extension of the drain.
US07973367B2
In order that a top surface of a gate electrode does not have sharp portions, ends of the top surface of the gate electrode are rounded before refractory metal is deposited for silicidation. This reduces intensive application of film stresses which are generated in heat treatment, enabling formation of a silicide layer with a uniform, sufficient thickness.
US07973364B2
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for fabricating a one-transistor memory cell includes forming an opening by removing a portion of a gate stack of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) device, where the SOI device is situated over a buried oxide layer. The method further includes forming a bottom gate of the one-transistor memory cell in a bulk substrate underlying the buried oxide layer. The method further includes forming a charge trapping region in the buried oxide layer. The charge trapping region is formed at an interface between a silicon layer underlying the gate stack and the buried oxide layer. The charge trapping region causes the one-transistor memory cell to have an increased sensing margin. The method further includes forming a top gate of the one-transistor memory cell in the opening. Also disclosed is an exemplary one-transistor memory cell fabricated utilizing the exemplary disclosed method.
US07973355B2
A nonvolatile memory device may include: a tunnel insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; a charge storage layer on the tunnel insulating layer; a blocking insulating layer on the charge storage layer; and a control gate electrode on the blocking insulating layer. The tunnel insulating layer may include a first tunnel insulating layer and a second tunnel insulating layer. The first tunnel insulating layer and the second tunnel insulating layer may be sequentially stacked on the semiconductor substrate. The second tunnel insulating layer may have a larger band gap than the first tunnel insulating layer. A method for fabricating a nonvolatile memory device may include: forming a tunnel insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a charge storage layer on the tunnel insulating layer; forming a blocking insulating layer on the charge storage layer; and forming a control gate electrode on the blocking insulating layer.
US07973352B2
Integrated circuit capacitors have composite dielectric layers therein. These composite dielectric layers include crystallization inhibiting regions that operate to increase the overall crystallization temperature of the composite dielectric layer. An integrated circuit capacitor includes first and second capacitor electrodes and a capacitor dielectric layer extending between the first and second capacitor electrodes. The capacitor dielectric layer includes a composite of a first dielectric layer extending adjacent the first capacitor electrode, a second dielectric layer extending adjacent the second capacitor electrode and an electrically insulating crystallization inhibiting layer extending between the first and second dielectric layers. The electrically insulating crystallization inhibiting layer is formed of a material having a higher crystallization temperature characteristic relative to the first and second dielectric layers.
US07973350B2
Semiconductor device comprising at least: one substrate, a transistor comprising at least one source region, one drain region, one channel and one gate, a planar layer based on at least one piezoelectric material, resting at least on the gate and capable of inducing at least mechanical strain on the transistor channel, in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of a face of the piezoelectric layer situated on the gate side, the piezoelectric layer being arranged between two biasing electrodes, one of the two biasing electrodes being formed by a first layer based on at least one electrically conductive material such that the piezoelectric layer is arranged between this first conductive layer and the gate of the transistor.
US07973349B2
Magnetic multilayer structures, such as magnetic or magnetoresistive tunnel junctions (MTJs) and spin valves, having a magnetic biasing layer formed next to and magnetically coupled to the free ferromagnetic layer to achieve a desired stability against fluctuations caused by, e.g., thermal fluctuations and astray fields. Stable MTJ cells with low aspect ratios can be fabricated using CMOS processing for, e.g., high-density MRAM memory devices and other devices, using the magnetic biasing layer. Such multilayer structures can be programmed using spin transfer induced switching by driving a write current perpendicular to the layers. Each free ferromagnetic layer can include two or more layers and may be a multilayered free ferromagnetic stack that includes first and second ferromagnetic layers and a non-magnetic spacer between the first and second ferromagnetic layers.
US07973348B1
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device is described where each memory cell is composed of a single field effect transistor with a dual gate dielectric comprising a dielectric interfacial layer in contact with a silicon substrate and a ferroelectric layer in between the interfacial layer and the gate electrode. To program (write) the cell the ferroelectric layer is polarized in one of two directions, the ferroelectric polarization creating a large electric field in the interfacial layer. This electric field causes electrons or holes to be transported across the interfacial layer and be trapped in the ferroelectric layer establishing a high (erased) or low (programmed) threshold voltage depending on the direction of the ferroelectric polarization representing the two logic states. To read the memory cell a voltage is applied to the drain of the selected transistor and depending on whether a high or low threshold state was programmed into the cell a low or high current is sensed.
US07973345B2
A method of cleaning a patterning device, the patterning device having at least organic coating material (OLED material) deposited thereon, where the method includes the step of providing a cleaning plasma for removing the coating material from the patterning device by means of a plasma etching process. During the step of removing the coating material from the patterning device, the temperature of the patterning device does not exceed a critical temperature causing damage to the patterning device, while maintaining a plasma etching rate of at least 0.2 μm/min. In order to generate a pulsed cleaning plasma, pulsed energy is provided. The method can be carried out in a direct plasma etching process or in a remote plasma etching process. Different etching processes may be combined or carried out subsequently.
US07973343B2
A multibit electro-mechanical memory device comprises a substrate, a bit line on the substrate, a first interlayer insulating film on the bit line, first and second lower word lines on the first interlayer insulating film, the first and second lower word lines separated horizontally from each other by a trench, a spacer abutting a sidewall of each of the first and second lower word lines, a pad electrode inside a contact hole, first and second cantilever electrodes suspended over first and second lower voids that correspond to upper parts of the first and second lower word lines provided in both sides on the pad electrode, the first and second cantilever electrodes being separated from each other by the trench, and being curved in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second direction; a second interlayer insulating film on the pad electrode, first and second trap sites supported by the second interlayer insulating film to have first and second upper voids on the first and second cantilever electrodes, and first and second upper word lines on the first and second trap sites.
US07973341B2
A method for manufacturing a fuse of a semiconductor device comprises forming an island-type metal fuse in a region where a laser is irradiated, so that laser energy may not be dispersed in a fuse blowing process, thereby improving repair efficiency.
US07973339B2
An integrated optical waveguide has a first optical waveguide, a second optical waveguide, and a groove. The second optical waveguide is coupled to the first optical waveguide and has a refractive index that is different from the first optical waveguide. The groove is disposed so as to traverse an optical path of the first optical waveguide and is separated from an interface between the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide by a predetermined spacing. The spacing from the interface and the width of the groove are determined such that reflection at a boundary between the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide is weakened. A semiconductor board may be disposed at a boundary between the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide. In this case, the width of the groove and the thickness of the semiconductor board are determined such that light reflected off an interface between the first optical waveguide and the groove is weakened by light reflected from an interface between the groove and the semiconductor board, and by light reflected from an interface between the semiconductor board and the second optical waveguide.
US07973338B2
There is provided a hetero junction field effect transistor including: a first layer of a nitride based, group III-V compound semiconductor; a second layer of a nitride based, group III-V compound semiconductor containing a rare earth element, overlying the first layer; a pair of third layers of a nitride based, group III-V compound semiconductor, overlying the second layer, the third layers being spaced from each other; a gate electrode disposed between the third layers at least a region of the second layer; and a source electrode overlying one of the third layers and a drain electrode overlying an other of the third layers. A method of fabricating the hetero junction field effect transistor is also provided.
US07973334B2
The present invention provides an ESD device to reduce the total triggering current without increasing the overshoot voltage. This is achieved by localizing the triggering current, such that the local current density remains high enough to trigger the ESD device. This localized triggering provides a fast and efficient triggering of the ESD device.
US07973328B2
There is provided a light emitting diode (LED) package in which a phosphor layer encapsulating an LED chip is formed uniformly to facilitate a process. The LED package includes: a package body having a mounting area; a holding part mounted on the mounting area to expose a portion of the mounting area; an LED chip mounted on the mounting area, the LED chip surrounded by the holding part to emit light; and a phosphor layer held by the holding part to seal a space defined by the holding part, the phosphor layer converting a wavelength of the light from the LED chip.
US07973326B2
The invention discloses a semiconductor structure combination for the epitaxy of a semiconductor optoelectronic device and manufacture thereof. The semiconductor structure combination according to the invention includes a substrate and a semiconductor material. The substrate has an upper surface and a recess formed on the upper surface. The sidewalls of the recess provide a first site for the growth of a plurality of first epitaxial crystals of the semiconductor material toward a first preferred orientation. A bottom of the recess provides a second site for the growth of a second epitaxial crystal of the semiconductor material toward the first preferred orientation. Flat regions adjacent to the recess provide a third site for the growth of a third epitaxial crystal of the semiconductor material toward the first preferred orientation.
US07973324B2
A lamp type light emitting device for safety fuse, including a substrate, an electrode layer, a chip set, a wire set, two leads and an encapsulator. The electrode layer is arranged on the substrate and includes a first T-shaped electrode, a second T-shaped electrode, a first stripe electrode and a second stripe electrode. The chip set includes a first resistor chip and a first light emitting chip arranged on the first T-shaped electrode and a second resistor chip and a second light emitting chip arranged on the second T-shaped electrode. The wire set has fuse wires electrically connected the first resistor chip, the first light emitting chip, the first stripe electrode, the second resistor chip, second light emitting chip, and the second stripe electrode. The leads are electrically connected to the first and the second T-shaped electrodes. The encapsulator encapsulates the electrode layer, the chip set and the wire set.
US07973322B2
An active layer 17 is provided so as to emit light having a light emission wavelength in the range of 440 to 550 nm. A first conduction type gallium nitride-based semiconductor region 13, the active layer 17, and a second conduction type gallium nitride-based semiconductor region 15 are disposed in a predetermined axis Ax direction. The active layer 17 includes a well layer composed of hexagonal InXGa1-XN (0.16≦X≦0.35, X: strained composition), and the indium composition X is represented by a strained composition. The a-plane of the hexagonal InXGa1-XN is aligned in the predetermined axis Ax direction. The thickness of the well layer is in the range of more than 2.5 nm to 10 nm. When the thickness of the well layer is set to 2.5 nm or more, a light emitting device having a light emission wavelength of 440 nm or more can be formed.
US07973300B2
It is intended to achieve a high level of positioning accuracy for a substrate assuming a two-layer structure constituted with a transparent layer with a high level of light transmissivity and a nontransparent layer with a low level of light transmissivity. A substrate positioning device according to the present invention characterized in that only the edge of the nontransparent layer, not the edge of the transparent layer, is exclusively detected and the substrate is positioned based upon the detection results.
US07973286B2
A detector having a thin film of boron nitride (BN) such as cubic BN, and method, system and array utilizing same are provided. Solid-state p-i-n, deep depletion p-n and Schottky diode detector devices based on a thin film of semiconducting cubic BN are provided. Miniaturized solid-state detectors based on cubic boron nitride have a broad range of applications, both civilian and military.
US07973277B2
A radio frequency (RF) drive system and method for driving the ion trap or mass filter of a mass spectrometer has a programmable RF frequency source coupled to a RF gain stage. The RF gain stage is transformer coupled to a tank circuit formed with the ion trap or mass filter. The power of the RF gain stage driving the ion trap or mass filter is measured using a sensing circuit and a power circuit. A feedback value is generated by the power circuit that is used to adjust the RF frequency source. The frequency of the RF frequency source is adjusted until the power of the RF gain stage is at a minimum level. The frequency value setting the minimum power is used to operate the RF drive system at the resonance frequency of the tank circuit formed with the transformer secondary inductance and the ion trap or mass filter capacitance. Driving a mass spectrometer mass selection element this way results in the lower power consumption, an inherently filtered clean drive signal, smaller size, and reduced electromagnetic emissions.
US07973266B2
In a heat treatment apparatus, a reflector is provided to cover a plurality of flash lamps arranged in an array for emitting a flash of light, and a cooling box is provided over the reflector. The cooling box has a buffer space incorporated therein, and a plurality of jet openings in communication with the buffer space are formed through a bottom surface of the cooling box and the reflector. The plurality of jet openings are positioned just over gaps between the plurality of flash lamps in the lamp array. Nitrogen gas ejected from the plurality of jet openings passes through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps in the lamp array, and is then blown against a lamp light radiation window. The flash lamps are effectively cooled down by the direct cooling using the nitrogen gas and the decrease in temperature of the lamp light radiation window.
US07973263B2
The invention concerns a vehicle outside mirror module with a heatable mirror glass assembly group, whereby the mirror glass assembly group exhibits at least one mirror glass and an at least one layered, foil-like heating foil, flexibly configured on the back side of said mirror glass, provided with power supply points. To this end, there are configured or integrated, on or in the heating foil, at least one means of lighting and at least one additional power supply point. On or in the heating foil, between the one or the several lighting means and the one or the additional power supply points, are configured or integrated conductive tracks providing current which contact said power supply points. Each lighting means has at least one main light exit surface whose spectral centroid lies above the mirror back surface.With the current invention, a vehicle outside mirror module is developed in which a mirror heater and at least one means of lighting are integrated and connected in such a manner that they can be simply and securely assembled while keeping the expenditure in cabling low.
US07973262B2
A powerplant and method for production and use of synthesis gas from a hydrocarbon fuel is disclosed in a combination of a triple helical flow vortex reactor (100) and a power producer (510). The triple helical flow vortex reactor (100) steam-reforms a hydrocarbon fuel in a rich combustion environment and produces a gas stream with synthesis gas. The triple helical flow vortex reactor (100) has a plasma torch to introduce a central vortex and two swirlers to introduce counterposing vortexes, or circumferential flows, at the periphery of a reaction chamber in the triple helical flow vortex reactor. The synthesis gas fuels the power producer (510).
US07973258B2
A lifting electrode for a high-tension electrostatic separator. The high tension electrostatic separator having a rotating drum that is connected to ground and an ionizing electrode that generates a corona discharge of charged ions. The lifting electrode comprising a composite of a non-conductive polymer impregnated with conductive particles.
US07973249B2
A multilayer printed wiring board including insulating layers and conductor layers being stacked alternately on each other. The conductor layers are electrically connected to each other through viaholes formed in the insulating layers. Each of the viaholes is formed to bulge in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of thickness of the insulating layer. The multilayer printed wiring board is to have electronic components such as a capacitor, IC and the like mounted on the surface layer thereof.
US07973245B2
An intermediate board has a board core formed by a main core body and a sub-core portion. The main core body has a plate-like shape and includes an open sub-core housing portion in which the sub-core portion is housed. A first terminal array of the board core has an area that overlaps an orthogonal projection of the sub-core portion. The latter incorporates a laminated ceramic capacitor formed by first and second conductor layers with a ceramic (dielectric) layer therebetween. The first layer is connected to first and second side terminals of a first type while the second layer is connected to first and second side terminals of a second type. The housing portion has an inner edge which, in cross section, is of a quadrate shape, and a radius portion is formed at each corner having a dimension of between 0.1 and 2 mm.
US07973244B2
A printed circuit board includes a base formed from a plurality of woven fibers, and signal traces laid on the base. Each of the signal traces includes at least a straight line segment. The signal traces are laid on the base in such a manner that the line segments of the signal traces mapped on the base cross the fibers at angles not equal to zero degrees.
US07973240B2
An underwater power generating system includes an underwater power generating device, a closed nacelle and a connecting cable system that is provided with an open passage way extending there along that is sealed at one end to the interior of the closed nacelle. The cable system can be used in a number of ways, such as by having the second end being sealed, to prevent air from escaping the closed nacelle, or by having the second end connected to a source of positive pressure thereby permitting the cable to be sufficiently pressurized to provide a positive pressure internally within the closed nacelle that is at least slightly greater than the nacelle at depth pressure, and thus greater than water pressure acting on the exterior of the closed nacelle, to prevent water ingress within the nacelle, as well as to transmit power and/or other data between the nacelle and shore monitoring and control facilities.
US07973227B2
A capo is structured and configured to permit rapid installation and tightening thereof on a stringed instrument. The capo includes a yoke with a central support member, a string-contacting clamping bar which is pivotally attached to the yoke, and a spring-loaded release member which fits into a first hollow bore in the central support member of the yoke. The capo also includes a substantially Y-shaped saddle member having a stem which slidably fits through a second hollow bore of the central support member, and an adjustment member for positioning the saddle member in the yoke. The engagement/release member is releasably held in position against the adjustment member by spring pressure. Rapid positioning of the saddle member is enabled by both coarse and fine adjustment of the adjustment member, made possible by buttressed threads present both inside of the engagement/release member and outside of a threaded shaft of the adjustment member.
US07973215B2
The invention develops a simple and reliable mushroom transformation procedure on the basis of electroporation of spores or mycelial fragments of mushroom.
US07973213B2
The use of selectable marker genes, such as the kanamycin resistance encoding neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII), has been invaluable in transgenic plant production. The subject invention provides a new selectable marker gene, an Arabidopsis thaliana ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter, Atwbc19 and methods of using the gene for the identification of transgenic plants. Since ABC transporters are endogenous to plants, there should be less controversy using Atwbc19, as a selectable marker in transgenic plants with regards to concerns of horizontal gene transfer.
US07973211B2
An animal model for hyperpigmentations in which the formation of hyperpigmentations in human skin is faithfully simulated is provided. An animal model for hyperpigmentations, wherein a black person's skin is grafted onto a non-human animal, is provided.
US07973210B2
A method for assisting a caregiver in determining when to select a next generation product for facilitating toilet training. The method includes the steps of providing information to a caregiver about a second absorbent product, such as a next generation product, while the caregiver is using a first absorbent product in conjunction with a child. The child, for instance, may not have started toilet training or may be in the process of toilet training. Based upon a behavioral or wetness characteristic of the child, recommendations are made to the caregiver when it is time to switch to the next generation product to facilitate toilet training. For instance, in one embodiment, the method may include comparing a wetness characteristic of the child with a readiness target. Once the readiness target is met, a recommendation may be made to the caregiver to switch to a product that includes a toilet training feature not present in the product currently being worn by the child.
US07973207B2
The present invention is an improved cyclic, endothermic hydrocarbon conversion process and a catalyst bed system for accomplishing the same. Specifically, the improved process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon with a multi-component catalyst bed in such a manner that the temperature within the catalyst bed remains within controlled temperature ranges throughout all stages of the process. The multi-component catalyst bed comprises a reaction-specific catalyst physically mixed with a heat-generating material.
US07973203B2
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of trans-indenofluorene compounds of the formula (Ia) or cis-indenofluorene compounds of the formula (Ib) in a reaction with at least one compound of the formula (IIa) or (IIb) respectively with at least one compound of the R-Hal in the presence of at least one organic base and at least one organic, polar, aprotic solvent.
US07973196B2
The invention encompasses processes for the synthesis of (S)-(+)-3-(aminomethyl)-5-methylhexanoic acid, (S)-Pregabalin, and intermediates of (S)-Pregabalin.
US07973194B1
Diesters of 1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate are surprisingly more efficient PVC plasticizers and fuse PVC faster and at a lower temperature than similar phthalates or terephthalate diesters. Hydrogenated orthophthalate diesters are slower fusing, i.e., require higher temperatures, than do the corresponding orthophthalate diesters.
US07973188B2
This invention relates to processes for the production of organometallic compounds represented by the formula M(L)3 wherein M is a Group VIII metal, e.g., ruthenium, and L is the same or different and represents a substituted or unsubstituted amidinato group or a substituted or unsubstituted amidinato-like group, which process comprises (i) reacting a substituted or unsubstituted metal source compound, e.g., ruthenium (II) compound, with a substituted or unsubstituted amidinate or amidinate-like compound in the presence of a solvent and under reaction conditions sufficient to produce a reaction mixture comprising said organometallic compound, e.g., ruthenium (III) compound, and (ii) separating said organometallic compound from said reaction mixture. The organometallic compounds are useful in semiconductor applications as chemical vapor or atomic layer deposition precursors for film depositions.
US07973184B2
Disclosed is a method for producing propylene oxide wherein propylene is directly oxidized with oxygen, as required, water and a catalytic amount of hydrogen in a gas phase in the presence of a gold cluster catalyst supported on an alkali-treated titanosilicalite or mesoporous titanosilicate support, which is produced by an alkaline treatment of titanosilicalite or mesoporous titanosilicate with aqueous solution of NaOH, KOH or CsOH.
US07973182B2
A process for the preparation of enantiomerically pure 1-substituted-3-amino-alcohols, particularly of (S)-(−)- and (R)-(+)-3-N-methylamino-1-(2-thienyl)-1-propanol, by asymmetrically hydrogenating salts of a carboxylic acids with an aminoketone of the formula: wherein R1 is 2-thienyl, 2-furanyl or phenyl, each optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms and/or one or more C1-4-alkyl or C1-4-alkoxy groups, and wherein R2 is C1-4-alkyl or phenyl, each optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms and/or one or more C1-4-alkyl or C1-4-alkoxy groups. The corresponding aminoalcohols are obtained by subsequent hydrolysis of their salts. Salts of a carboxylic acid with the aminoketones and the aminoalcohols obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating the aminoketones, respectively.
US07973173B2
A process for the synthesis of trandolapril which comprises condensing N—[I—(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl]-L-alanine N-carboxyanhydride with trans octahydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid in a first organic solvent comprising a water immiscible inert organic solvent and in the presence of a base, and isolating trandolapril from a second organic solvent. N-[1-(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl]-L-alanine N-carboxyanhydride may also be condensed with (2S,3aR,7aS) octahydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid in a first organic solvent and in the presence of a base, and trandolapril isolated. There is also provided a process for the resolution of racemic trans octahydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylc acid.
US07973160B2
Compounds represented by the following general formula: [wherein Ag is an optionally substituted 5- to 14-membered heterocyclic group, etc.; Xg is —O—, —S—, etc.; Yg is an optionally substituted C6-14 aryl group, an optionally substituted 5- to 14-membered heterocyclic group, etc.; and Tg1 is a group represented by the following general formula: (wherein Eg is a single bond or —N(Rg2)—, Rg1 and Rg2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-6 alkyl group, etc. and Zg represents a C1-8 alkyl group, a C3-8 alicyclic hydrocarbon group, a C6-14 aryl group, etc.)], salts thereof or hydrates of the foregoing.
US07973157B2
Novel processes for the purification of an imino or amino sugar, such as D-1-deoxygalactonojirimycin (DGJ). Particularly, there are described processes for the purification of multi-kilogram scale sugars using hydrochloric acid.
US07973154B2
The present invention relates to methods for diagnosis or monitoring of viral infection by detecting the presence of transrenal viral nucleic acids or nucleic acids of viral origin in urine sample, with or without isolation of nucleic acids from a urine sample. The analysis of the nucleic acids is performed through hybridization of the nucleic acids with specific probes, or through a chain amplification reaction with specific primers. The methods are applicable to all viral pathogenic agents, including RNA, DNA, episomal, or integrated viruses.
US07973153B2
The present invention relates to compositions and fusion proteins containing at least two Mycobacterium sp. antigens, and nucleic acids encoding such compositions and fusion proteins. The compositions of the invention increase serological sensitivity of sera from individuals infected with tuberculosis, and methods for their use in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis infection.
US07973149B2
The invention generally relates to polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) polyketide synthase (PKS) systems isolated from or derived from non-bacterial organisms, to homologues thereof, to isolated nucleic acid molecules and recombinant nucleic acid molecules encoding biologically active domains of such a PUFA PKS system, to genetically modified organisms comprising PUFA PKS systems, to methods of making and using such systems for the production of bioactive molecules of interest, and to novel methods for identifying new bacterial and non-bacterial microorganisms having such a PUFA PKS system.
US07973138B2
The present invention relates to the use of VEGF antagonists and a novel anti-α5β1 antibody for treating cancer and inhibiting angiogenesis and/or vascular permability, including inhibiting abnormal angiogenesis in diseases. The present invention also relates to compositions and kits comprising novel anti-α5β1 antibodies and methods of making and using them.
US07973124B2
The present invention provides a thermoplastic polyester elastomer excellent in heat resistance, heat-aging resistance, water resistance, light resistance, low-temperature property and the like, and further excellent in block order-retaining ability, the thermoplastic polyester elastomer comprising a hard segment which comprises polyester constituted with aromatic dicarboxylic acid and aliphatic or alicyclic diol and a soft segment which comprises mainly aliphatic polycarbonate, wherein the hard segment and the soft segment being connected, and wherein when melting points of the thermoplastic polyester elastomer are obtained by measuring on a differential scanning calorimeter in three cycles in which a temperature is raised from room temperature to 300° C. at a heating rate of 20° C./min., maintained at 300° C. for 3 minutes and lowered to room temperature at a cooling rate of 100° C./min., a melting point difference (Tm1−Tm3) between a melting point obtained in the first cycle (Tm1) and a melting point obtained in the third cycle (Tm3) is 0-50° C., and a tensile strength at break is 15-100 MPa.
US07973123B2
A golf ball having a layer composed of a polyurethane/polyurea material formed from reaction injection molding a polyol component and an isocyanate component. The polyol component preferably comprises a polytetramethylene ether glycol having a molecular weight of approximately 1000 and a 3,5-diethyl-2,4 toluenediamine. The layer is preferably a cover layer having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.025 inch.
US07973121B2
The invention relates to a method of preparing polyorganosiloxanes containing at least one functional group using a lithium silanolate catalyst. A polyorganosiloxane, having at least one hydroxyl group, is reacted with a polyalkoxysilane having the formula (R1)a(R2)bSi(OR3)4-(a+b) (I), where R1 is an alkyl radical, a cycloalkyl radical, or an aryl radical; R2 is —(Z)m-(X)n, wherein m=0 or 1, n=1 or 2; Z is a divalent hydrocarbon residue; X is an unsaturated hydrocarbon radical when m=0 and, when m=1, X is chlorine, bromine, iodine, —O—CO—CR4═CR5R6 (in which R4, R5 and R6 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical and/or a phenyl radical), —RF (in which RF is a perfluorinated residue), —NHR7 (in which R7 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical, or a radical-R8—NH2, wherein R8 is Z), or —SH; R3 is an alkyl radical; a=0, 1, 2 or 3; b=0 or 1 and a+b=0, 1, 2 or 3, with the additional condition that the sum a+b=3, symbol b cannot be equal to 0. The method is performed in the presence of an effective quantity of a lithium organosilanolate catalyst having formula (R1)a(R2)b(OR3)3-(a+b)SiO−Li+ (II), wherein R1, R2, R3, a and b have the meanings indicated above. The method is performed without the addition of an aliphatic alcohol having the formula R3OH to the reaction medium.
US07973113B2
Catalyst systems and methods of forming the catalyst systems are described herein. The methods generally include contacting a support material with an activator to form a support composition, contacting a component with at least a portion of an aluminum containing compound including TIBAl, wherein the component is selected from the support composition, the transition metal catalyst compound and combinations thereof and contacting the support composition with a transition metal catalyst compound to form a supported catalyst system.
US07973107B2
A fluorosilicone reaction product of a mercapto functional organopolysiloxane and a fluorine-containing monomer, and methods of preparing the fluorosilicone are disclosed. The fluorosilicone products are suitable for application to substrates such as textiles, particularly fabrics, to impart oil repellent properties to the textile. The fluorosilicone reaction product is prepared from (A) a fluorine-containing monomer of the formula CH2═C(X)COOYRf, and (B) a mercapto functional organopolysiloxane.
US07973104B2
The present invention relates to rubbery core/shell polymers that have improved heat and ultraviolet light resistance. These polymers can be blended with thermoplastics to make leathery compositions. The core/shell polymers of this invention have an inner core and an outer shell. The inner core is has repeat units which are derived from (a) butyl acrylate, (b) a member selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, and ethyl acrylate, (c) optionally, an alkoxy ethyl acrylate or an alkoxy ethyl methacrylate, (d) acrylonitrile, (f) a cross-linking agent, and (g) a monomer containing reactive cure sites The outer core has repeat units which are derived from (d) acrylonitrile, (e) styrene, and (f) additional cross-linking agent. The outer core of these polymers is void of repeat units that are derived from methyl methacrylate.
US07973103B2
The present invention discloses a fuser roller composition that contains a fluorocopolymer, an aliphatic ketone organic solvent, metal oxide particles, and a benzyltriphenylphosphonium phenolate salt curing agent. To this composition is added a sufficient amount of 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphenol to extend a time at which viscosity of the composition rises above a predetermined level.
US07973102B2
A resin composition which reduces hydrolysis thereof and reduces the color change thereof at the time of heating and a resin molded object which reduces hydrolysis thereof and reduces quality change of content therein are provided. The resin composition includes a resin and an organically modified layered silicate in which a substituted silyl group having a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group bonds to a layered silicate. The resin molded object is obtained by molding a resin composition including a resin and an organically modified layered silicate in which a substituted silyl group having a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group bonds to a layered silicate.
US07973097B2
An ink jet pigment ink containing water, a pigment, a water-soluble organic solvent and a graft copolymer, wherein the graft copolymer has a hydrophilic segment and a hydrophobic segment, the hydrophobic segment is being obtained by copolymerizing an anionic monomer and an aromatic monomer represented by the following formula (1), and the hydrophilic segment is being obtained by polymerizing an anionic monomer wherein Ar is an aromatic ring selected from a benzene ring, a condensed benzene ring and a hetero-aromatic ring, or a derivative thereof, R is H or CH3, and X is O or NH.
US07973092B2
A method for reprocessing used PET bottles having the steps of shredding the bottles to form plastic flakes, sorting the plastic flakes according to at least one criterion into at least two partial quantities, and performing an individual processing treatment including a decontamination treatment. The device permits performing the method whereby it is possible to separate the plastic flakes produced from the threaded part of a PET bottle, these flakes being more difficult to purify, from the lighter plastic flakes from the wall of the bottle, which have a thin wall and are easier to purify, and treating them further in separate reprocessing steps.
US07973087B2
A process is disclosed for converting a feed comprising synthesis gas to liquid hydrocarbons within a single reactor at essentially common reaction conditions. The synthesis gas contacts a catalyst bed comprising a mixture of a synthesis gas conversion catalyst on a support containing an acidic component and a dual functionality catalyst including a hydrogenation component and a solid acid component. The hydrocarbons produced are liquid at about 0° C., contain at least 25% by volume C10+ and are substantially free of solid wax.
US07973082B2
This invention relates to novel substituted aryloxy alkylamines useful as monoamine neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitors.In other aspects the invention relates to the use of these compounds in a method for therapy and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the invention.
US07973074B2
Monomeric, oligomeric or polymeric compound corresponding to the following formula (I): in which: A represents an optionally substituted polycyclic group, the said polycyclic group comprising at least one group capable of making possible the attachment of a chromophoric group, X1 and X2, which are identical or different, each independently represent a group of formula (II): in which: B and D, which are identical or different, each independently represent an aromatic carbon ring or an aromatic heterocycle which is optionally substituted. Use of the said compound in an optoelectronic device, such as a photovoltaic cell, a field-effect transistor or an electrochemical sensor.Photovoltaic cell comprising an active layer comprising an electron donor composed of the said compound.
US07973072B2
The invention relates to substituted benzo-condensed cyclohexanone derivatives, to a method for the production thereof, to medicaments containing said derivatives and to the use of the inventive compounds for producing medicaments.
US07973071B2
A compound comprising or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug, or a metabolite thereof is disclosed herein. Y, A, and B are as described herein. Methods, compositions, and medicaments related to these compounds are also disclosed.
US07973070B2
New (2R,4R) monatin monosodium salt hydrate crystals characterized by having specific characteristic X-ray diffraction peaks provide general-purpose, stable, and safe monatin sodium salt crystals incorporating no organic solvent. These crystal may be prepared by a method that requires no organic solvent in the crystallization, separation, and drying steps. These crystal are useful as sweeteners and for the preparation of orally consumed products, such as foods, beverages, pharmaceutical products, topical pharmaceutical products, and feeds containing general-purpose, stable, and safe monatin sodium salt crystals.
US07973057B2
Thalidomide analogs that modulate tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) activity and angiogenesis are disclosed. In particularly disclosed embodiments, the thalidomide analogs are isosteric sulfur-containing analogs. Also disclosed are methods of treating a subject with the analogs.
US07973053B2
The present invention provides a medicament exhibiting an excellent nerve cell death inhibitory action.The present invention relates to a nerve cell death inhibitor comprising a pitavastatin and donepezil or a salt thereof in combination.
US07973045B2
The invention provides anhydrous forms of dasatinib, methods for their preparation, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof.
US07973044B2
Disclosed are compounds which bind VLA-4. Certain of these compounds also inhibit leukocyte adhesion and, in particular, leukocyte adhesion mediated by VLA-4. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases in a mammalian patient, e.g., human, such as asthma, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, AIDS dementia, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, tissue transplantation, tumor metastasis and myocardial ischemia. The compounds can also be administered for the treatment of inflammatory brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
US07973040B2
The present invention relates to macrocyclic a compound of formula (I) and its use as inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease, and in treating or preventing HCV infections.
US07973036B2
The present invention disclosed compound 2-methyl-5-imino-benzo[d][1,3]oxazin[5-b]pyrazole and preparation method and uses thereof. The compound 2-methyl-5-imino-benzo[d][1,3]oxazin[5-b]pyrazole of the present invention has the following structure of formula (II), wherein the compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof can be used for preparing the drugs for treatment or prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
US07973034B2
This disclosure relates to amides, aryl sulphonamides, aryl ureas, and α,β-diketones derivatives useful as carboxylesterase esterase inhibitors. The disclosure is also directed to the use of these compounds as selective human intestinal carboxylesterase inhibitors and insect carboxylesterase inhibitors. The disclosure is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions and pesticide formulations containing these compounds, and to methods for treating or ameliorating the toxic effects following administration of drugs such as cancer therapy drugs, treating or ameliorating the effects of a drug overdose, and to the use of the compounds for increasing the effectiveness of insecticides and pesticides.
US07973025B2
Compositions and methods for treating macular degeneration and other forms of retinal disease whose etiology involves the accumulation of A2E and/or lipofuscin, and, more specifically, for preventing the formation and/or accumulation of A2E are disclosed.
US07973021B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an immunomodulating agent in gut that can be ingested continuously in daily diet without adverse side effect. The object is attained by providing an immunomodulating agent in gut comprising a cyclic tetrasaccharide as an effective ingredient.
US07973020B2
The invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for inhibiting the expression of a gene from the Ebola virus.
US07973017B2
Agents that reduce the amount of IGFBP-2 and/or IGFBP-5 and that are known to be useful in the treatment of cancer result in increased expression of the protein clusterin. Since clusterin can provide protection against apoptosis, this secondary effect detracts from the efficacy of the therapeutic agent. In overcoming this, the present invention provides a combination of therapeutic agents that is useful in the treatment of cancer. The combination includes an agent that reduces the amount of IGFBP-2 and/or IGFBP-5 and that stimulates expression of clusterin as a secondary effect, and an oligonucleotide that is effective to reduce the amount of clusterin in cancer cells. In some embodiments of the invention, the agent that reduces IGFBP-2 and/or IGFBP-5 is a bispecific antisense species. The oligonucleotide may be an antisense oligonucleotide or an RNAi oligonucleotide.
US07973016B2
The present invention relates to methods and kits for treating, reducing, or preventing autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis by administering to a mammal in need thereof an agent that modulates the expression level or biological activity of Toll-like receptor-9 (TLR-9). Also disclosed are screening methods that make use of TLR-9 for the identification of novel therapeutics for autoimmune conditions.
US07973015B2
The present invention provides a method for at least in part decreasing the production of an aberrant protein in a cell, the cell comprising pre-mRNA comprising exons coding for the protein, by inducing so-called exon skipping in the cell. Exon-skipping results in mature MRNA that does not contain the skipped exon, which leads to an altered product of the exon codes for amino acids. Exon skipping is performed by providing a cell with an agent capable of specifically inhibiting an exon inclusion signal, for instance, an exon recognition sequence, of the exon. The exon inclusion signal can be interfered with by a nucleic acid comprising complementarity to a part of the exon. The nucleic acid, which is also herewith provided, can be used for the preparation of a medicament, for instance, for the treatment of an inherited disease.
US07973009B2
Methods for increasing and maintaining hematocrit in a mammal comprising administering a hyperglycosylated analog of erythropoietin are disclosed. An analog may be administered less frequently than an equivalent molar amount of recombinant human erythropoietin to obtain a comparable target hematocrit and treat anemia. Alternatively, a lower molar amount of a hyperglycosylated analog may be administered to obtain a comparable target hematocrit and treat anemia. Also disclosed are new hyperglycosylated erythropoietin analogs, methods of production of the analogs, and compositions comprising the analogs.
US07973005B2
The present invention relates to methods for the treatment of exacerbation periods of pulmonary diseases, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, by administering alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) to a subject in need thereof. Particularly, the present invention discloses the efficient treatment of exacerbation periods of pulmonary diseases by administering AAT via inhalation.
US07973003B2
A laundry stain and soil pretreatment sheet including a water soluble or water dispersible carrier layer, preferably polyvinyl alcohol, a removable separator layer, and a layer of cleaning agent composition therebetween. The separator layer is removed, the composition layer is adhered to a stain on clothing, and the clothing is laundered to treat the stain. The carrier layer dissolves or disperses during the laundering.
US07973002B2
A composition comprising phthalimidoperhexanoic acid (PAP) is provided. The PAP has a particle size of 0.01 to 100 μm and a particle size distribution with x(50) of less than 10 μm. Preferably the composition is a detergent composition.
US07973001B2
A lubricating oil composition of the invention includes a lubricant base oil of which kinematic viscosity at 100 degrees C. is 1 to 5 mm2/s; and at least one component selected from an olefin copolymer (OCP) and a poly-α-olefin (PAO) of which kinematic viscosity at 100° C. is 20 to 2000 mm2/s, a kinematic viscosity of the lubricating oil composition at 100 degrees C. being 8 mm2/s or less and viscosity index thereof being 155 or more.
US07972999B2
A heat transfer oil, comprising: a. a base oil fraction have a traction coefficient less than or equal to 0.015, when measured at a kinematic viscosity of 15 cSt and at a slide to roll ratio of 40 percent; and b. optionally, an antifoam agent; wherein the heat transfer oil has an auto ignition temperature greater than 329° C. (625° F.) and an ASTM Color less than 0.5.
US07972995B2
A drilling fluid additive is provided and the additive consist of: syrup solids which are heated to evaporate water and then admixed with a liquid medium, and the syrup solids are derived from a group consisting essentially of agave syrup, barley syrup, sugar syrup, beets syrup, birch syrup, rice syrup, cane syrup, chocolate syrup, coconut syrup, corn syrup, date syrup, fruit syrup, golden syrup, high fructose corn syrup, karo syrup, citrus fruit syrup, maple syrup, molasses, Muscavado syrup, palm syrup, rice syrup, sorghum syrup, Turbinado syrup, vanilla syrup and mixtures and blends thereof.
US07972992B2
The present invention provides methods of synthesizing a molecule comprising a functional moiety which is operatively linked to an encoding oligonucleotide. The methods include providing an initiator compound comprising an initial functional moiety comprising n building blocks, wherein the initial functional moiety comprises at least one reactive group, and is operatively linked to an initial oligonucleotide; reacting the initiator compound with a building block comprising at least one complementary reactive group, under conditions suitable for reaction of the complementary reactive group to form a covalent bond; and reacting the initial oligonucleotide with an incoming oligonucleotide corresponding to the building block in the presence of an enzyme which catalyzes ligation of the initial oligonucleotide and the incoming oligonucleotide, under conditions suitable for ligation of the incoming oligonucleotide and the initial oligonucleotide to form an encoding oligonucleotide.
US07972982B2
The invention relates to a method for coating sheet-form textile materials, in which there is applied to a sheet-form textile material an aqueous dispersion containing anionically modified polyurethane ureas comprising (A) aromatic diisocyanate, (B) polyether polyol having a mean molecular weight greater than 1500, (C) at least one compound containing from 1 to 2 isocyanate-reactive groups and at least one ionogenic group, (D) polyamine having a mean molecular weight of at least 32, and (E) water, wherein the mean total functionality of the isocyanate-reactive compounds B to D is from 1.85 to 2.2, the molar ratio of the isocyanate groups of component A to the isocyanate-reactive groups of components B to D is greater than 1, and the polyurethane ureas have a content of from 800 to 1500 mmol of urethane groups/kg of anionically modified polyurethane urea and a content of from 800 to 1800 mmol of urethane plus urea groups/kg of anionically modified polyurethane urea.
US07972950B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a dual gate allows for the gates to have a wide variety of threshold voltages. The method includes forming a gate insulation layer, a first capping layer, and a barrier layer in the foregoing sequence across a first region and a second region on a substrate, exposing the gate insulation layer on the first region by removing the first capping layer and the barrier layer from the first region, forming a second capping layer on the gate insulation layer in the first region and on the barrier layer in the second region, and thermally processing the substrate on which the second capping layer is formed. The thermal processing causes material of the second capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the first region and material of the first capping layer to spread into the gate insulation layer in the second region. Thus, devices having different threshold voltages can be formed in the first and second regions.
US07972945B2
A top plate, disposed on an upper portion of a vacuum container so as to face a substrate-placing area of a sample electrode, is provided with an impurity-containing film that contains an impurity, and is formed on a top plate peripheral edge portion area that is a face exposable to a plasma generated in the vacuum container, and is located on a peripheral edge of a top plate center portion area that faces the center portion of the substrate-placing area.
US07972941B2
A gate structure is formed on a substrate. An insulating interlayer is formed covering the gate structure. The substrate is heat treated while exposing a surface of the insulating interlayer to a hydrogen gas atmosphere. A silicon nitride layer is formed directly on the interlayer insulating layer after the heat treatment and a metal wiring is formed on the insulating interlayer. The metal wiring may include copper. Heat treating the substrate while exposing a surface of the interlayer insulating layer to a hydrogen gas atmosphere may be preceded by forming a plug through the first insulating interlayer that contacts the substrate, and the metal wiring may be electrically connected to the plug. The plug may include tungsten.
US07972933B2
Methods of forming semiconductor devices are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a semiconductor device may include providing a substrate having an oxide surface and a silicon surface; forming a nitrogen-containing layer on exposed portions of both the oxide and silicon surfaces; and oxidizing the nitrogen-containing layer to selectively remove the nitrogen-containing layer from atop the oxide surface. In some embodiments, an oxide layer is formed atop a remaining portion of the nitrogen-containing layer formed on the silicon feature. In some embodiments, the oxide surface is an exposed surface of a shallow trench isolate region (STI) disposed adjacent to one or more floating gates of a semiconductor device. In some embodiments, the silicon surface is an exposed surface of a silicon or polysilicon floating gate of a semiconductor device.
US07972932B2
A mark forming method includes forming a first mask layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming at least three first patterns having periodicity on the first mask layer; forming a second mask layer on the first mask layer having the first patterns formed thereon; and forming an opening in the second mask layer to cover at least two patterns on ends of the at least three first patterns, thereby forming a mark composed of exposed ones of the first patterns.
US07972929B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an ONO layer in a memory region and forming several gate oxide layer patterns in a logic region, a nitride layer in the logic region can be used as a hard mask, enabling a reduction in the number of masks used. This results in improved manufacturing efficiency and reduced manufacturing costs of a SONOS semiconductor device.
US07972927B2
According to a method of manufacturing a MONOS nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a tunnel insulating film, a charge storage layer, a block insulating film containing a metal oxide and a control gate electrode are stacked on a semiconductor substrate. Heat treatment is carried out in an atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas after the tunnel insulating film, the charge storage layer and the block insulating film are stacked on the semiconductor substrate. Thereafter, the control gate electrode is formed on the block insulating film.
US07972918B1
A semiconductor structure is provided with (i) an empty well having relatively little well dopant near the top of the well and (ii) a filled well having considerably more well dopant near the top of the well. Each well is defined by a corresponding body-material region (108 or 308) of a selected conductivity type. The regions respectively meet overlying zones (104 and 304) of the opposite conductivity type. The concentration of well dopant of the selected conductivity type locally reaches a maximum in each body-material region at a location no more than 10 times deeper below the upper semiconductor surface than the overlying zone's depth, decreases by at least a factor of 10 in moving from the empty-well maximum-concentration location through the overlying zone to the upper surface, and reaches at least one other maximum in moving from the filled-well maximum-concentration location through the other zone to the upper surface.
US07972916B1
The process forms a FET with a channel region that has in plane compressive stress in one direction and in plane tensile stress in a perpendicular direction. The process deposits a germanium silicon sacrificial stressor layer on a silicon substrate so that the germanium silicon is in a state of compressive stress. Etching trenches forms silicon pillars covered by the stressor layer and transfers tensile strain to the upper portion of the pillar. The process fills the trenches with stiff insulating material to maintain the strain in the pillar and etching removes the stressor layer. More etching creates recesses on either side of a channel region in the upper portion of the pillar. Doped germanium silicon layers fill the recesses, apply lateral compressive stress to the pillar's channel region and act as source and drain electrodes. A gate is formed above the strained channel region.
US07972915B2
A method for and devices utilizing monolithic integration of enhancement-mode and depletion-mode AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field-effect transistors (HFETs) is disclosed. Source and drain ohmic contacts of HFETs are first defined. Gate electrodes of the depletion-mode HFETs are then defined. Gate electrodes of the enhancement-mode HFETs are then defined using fluoride-based plasma treatment and high temperature post-gate annealing of the sample. Device isolation is achieved by either mesa etching or fluoride-based plasma treatment. This method provides a complete planar process for GaN-based integrated circuits favored in high-density and high-speed applications.
US07972905B2
A method of assembling an electronic device and electronic packages therefrom. A die attach adhesive precursor is placed between a top surface of a workpiece and an IC die. The die attach adhesive precursor includes metal particles, a first plurality of first microcapsules having a polymerizable material inside, and a second plurality of second microcapsules having a polymerization agent inside to form a first polymer upon rupture of first and second microcapsules. A force sufficient to rupture at least a portion of the first plurality of first microcapsules and at least a portion of the second plurality of second microcapsules is applied to form a self-healing die attach adhesive wherein the first polymer binds the plurality of metal particles and the remaining microcapsules and secures the IC die to the top surface of the workpiece. The self-healing die attach adhesive generally includes at least 90 vol. % metal.
US07972901B2
A method of manufacturing a package including manufacturing a substrate to include at least one layer of LCP material, manufacturing a cover made of LCP material to include a lower lip, and sealing the cover to the substrate by heating the interface between the lower lip and the substrate.
US07972891B2
An image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same that includes photodiodes formed in a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, the first insulating layer including a seed pattern corresponding spatially to the positions of the photodiodes, lower microlenses composed of an organic material formed over the seed pattern, a second insulating layer formed over the lower microlenses, a third insulating layer formed over the second insulating layer, color filters formed over the third insulating layer, and upper micro lenses formed over the color filters.
US07972885B1
This invention relates to imaging device and its related transferring technologies to independent substrate able to attain significant broadband capability covering the wavelengths from ultra-violet (UV) to long-Infrared. More particularly, this invention is related to the broadband image sensor (along with its manufacturing technologies), which can detect the light wavelengths ranges from as low as UV to the wavelengths as high as 20 μm covering the most of the wavelengths using of the single monolithic image sensor on the single wafer. This invention is also related to the integrated circuit and the bonding technologies of the image sensor to standard integrated circuit for multicolor imaging, sensing, and advanced communication. Our innovative approach utilizes surface structure having more than micro-nano-scaled 3-dimensional (3-D) blocks which can provide broad spectral response. Utilizing multiple micro-nano scaled blocks help to increase the absorption spectra more than the material used as the absorption layer. In addition, utilizing the multiple nano-scaled 3-D blocks help to increase the absorption over the wavelength due to the multiple reflections and diffractions inside the 3-D structures. The absorption layers will be designed to achieve the required quantum efficiency and also required speed.
US07972884B2
An example of the present invention is a micromechanical device including, a substrate in which a signal line is provided, a micromachine which is mounted on the substrate, is formed of a conductive material into a beam-like shape, is elastically deformed by a function of an electric field in such a manner that the beam-like part moves closer to or apart from the signal line, and changes the electric characteristics concomitantly with the deformation, a deformation restraint section constituted of a material having a higher viscosity coefficient than the conductive material, provided on the opposite side of the micromachine to the signal line, for restraining deformation of the micromachine in a direction in which the micromachine is separated from the signal line, and a sealing body provided on the principal surface of the substrate, for covering the micromachine with a hollow section located therebetween.
US07972881B2
A heat spreader for an LED can include a thermally conductive and optically transparent member. The bottom side of the heat spreader can be configured to attach to a light emitting side of the LED. The top and/or bottom surface of the heat spreader can have a phosphor layer formed thereon. The heat spreader can be configured to conduct heat from the LED to a package. The heat spreader can be configured to conduct heat from the phosphors to the package. By facilitating the removal of heat from the LED and phosphors, more current can be used to drive the LED. The use of more current facilitates the construction of a brighter LED, which can be used in applications such as flashlights, displays, and general illumination. By facilitating the removal of heat from the phosphors, desired colors can be better provided.
US07972871B2
Disclosed is a testing device and methods for the identification of an analyte of interest in a sample. In a preferred embodiment, the testing device includes a front panel having at least one sample application aperture; a rear panel having at least one solvent application aperture; a sample collection matrix disposed between the rear panel and the front panel, the sample collection matrix being in communication with the sample and solvent application apertures of the front and rear panels; and at least one insertable test strip containing a reagent enabling detection of the analyte of interest.
US07972859B2
A method of determining authenticity of an ingestible product purportedly from a batch of saccharide-marked ingestible product is provided. The ingestible product is a food, beverage, or pharmaceutical, for example. The method includes identifying a sample of the ingestible product to be tested; and testing the sample for a marked presence of the saccharide using a saccharide-specific binding protein. The ingestible product is not authentic when the testing demonstrates an unexpected change in the marked presence of the saccharide, and the ingestible product is authentic when the testing demonstrates no unexpected change in the marked presence of the saccharide.
US07972858B2
Described herein are methods for analyzing polymer molecules. These methods are employed for the high throughput readout of DNA and RNA molecules with single molecule sensitivity. The method of the present invention comprises (1) the electrically controlled unzipping of DNA (or RNA) double strands, and (2) the readout of the molecule's identity (or code) using one or more molecule signal detection.
US07972850B2
A method of differentiating embryonic stem cells into neural and motor cells is disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention comprises culturing a population of cells comprising a majority of cells that are characterized by an early rosette morphology and are Sox1−/Pax6+ in the presence of FGF2, FGF4, FGF8, FGF 9, or RA wherein the cells are characterized by an neural tube-like rosette morphology and are Pax6+/Sox1+.
US07972844B2
The present invention is directed to nuclear factor κB (NFκB)-inducing factor polypeptides (NFIF polypeptides) which are capable of inducing NFκB. The present invention includes within its scope NFIF polypeptides, including NFIF-14b and NFIF-7a, DNA, including cDNA, encoding these polypeptides, and expression vectors capable of expressing NFIF polypeptides. Also included are methods and compositions for increasing NFκB induction in a patient, methods and compositions for lowering NFκB induction in a patient, methods for inhibiting inflammation, and methods for manufacture of a medicament intended for the treatment and/or prevention of an NFκB-regulated inflammatory response. In addition, methods for determining whether a test compound inhibits or enhances the activity of NFIF polypeptides are provided.
US07972838B2
A reagent container having an inner surface upon which at least two reagents are dried, with the first reagent dried on a first area separate from a second area where the second reagent is dried. The first and second reagents are a nucleic acid polymerase and its substrate. A method is disclosed which includes dispensing at least the first and second reagents onto separate areas of the inner surface of the reagent container, and removing excess water from the reagents. The reagent container can be used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, an assay that utilizes a reverse transcriptase, a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, an immuno-PCR assay, a nucleic acid sequence based assay, a proximity ligation assay, a ligase chain reaction assay, a rolling circle amplification assay, and a strand displacement amplification assay.
US07972837B2
Dipstick tests for detecting analyte are described. In a preferred embodiment, a multiple biotinylated antibody capable of binding analyte is bound to an anti-biotin antibody labeled with colloidal gold and wicked up the dipstick with test solution thought to contain analyte. Complex formed between analyte, biotinylated anti-analyte antibody, and colloidal gold labeled anti-biotin antibody is captured at a capture zone of the dipstick. Presence of colloidal gold label at the capture zone indicates the presence of analyte in the test solution. The sensitivity of analyte detection using such methods is an order of magnitude higher than for comparable methods in which biotinylated anti-analyte antibody bound to analyte is wicked up the dipstick in a first step, and a colloidal gold labeled anti-biotin antibody is wicked up the dipstick in a separate step. Kits for performing the tests of the invention are also described.
US07972834B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide nucleic acid molecules encoding improved fluorescent mutants of the Katushka fluorescent protein, variants and derivatives thereof, as well as proteins and peptides encoded by these nucleic acids. Also of interest are proteins that are substantially similar to, or derivatives, or homologues, or mutants of, the above-referenced specific proteins. Also provided are fragments of the nucleic acids and the peptides encoded thereby, as well as antibodies specific to the proteins and peptides of the invention. In addition, host-cells, stable cell lines and transgenic organisms comprising the above-referenced nucleic acid molecules are provided. The subject protein and nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of different applications and methods, particularly for labeling of biomolecules, cells or cell organelles. Finally, kits for use in such methods and applications are provided.
US07972826B2
Provided are methods of liquefaction, saccharification and fermentation of pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass in production of bioethanol. Addition of PEG or surfactant is effective to enhance cellulase hydrolysis yields at high dry matter (>20%) at surprisingly low concentrations compared with comparable results in low dry matter hydrolysis. This effect is most pronounced at comparatively low cellulase loading <7 FPU (g DM)−1. At high dry matter content, cellulase enzyme consumption can be reduced, without loss of hydrolysis yield, by addition of small quantities of PEG or surfactant.
US07972824B2
The present invention relates to methods for increasing the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation processes (1) that produce acetate as a by-product in addition to a desired product, and (2) that can utilize hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide in the fermentation. The method comprises the steps of converting acetate produced by the fermentation process into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas, and utilizing hydrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas obtained from the acetate conversion in the anaerobic fermentation process. In particular aspects, the invention relates to processes of producing alcohols, particularly ethanol.
US07972821B2
A method for the production of functional proteins including hormones by renal cells in a three dimensional culturing process responsive to shear stress uses a rotating wall vessel. Natural mixture of renal cells expresses the enzyme 1-α-hydroxylase which can be used to generate the active form of vitamin D: 1,25-diOH vitamin D3. The fibroblast cultures and co-culture of renal cortical cells express the gene for erythropoietin and secrete erythropoietin into the culture supernatant. Other shear stress response genes are also modulated by shear stress, such as toxin receptors megalin and cubulin (gp280). Also provided is a method of treating an in-need individual with the functional proteins produced in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel.
US07972819B2
Provided is a method of disrupting cells comprising adding gold nanorods to a solution containing cells and irradiating the gold nanorods with a laser to disrupt the cells. A method and an apparatus for continuously disrupting cells and amplifying nucleic acids in a single microchamber are also provided, wherein the method comprises introducing a solution containing cells and gold nanorods into a microchamber, irradiating a laser onto the gold nanorods to disrupt the cells, and amplifying a nucleic acid from the disrupted cells in the microchamber.
US07972807B1
Disclosed are diagnostic tests helpful in indicating presence of an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a human patient. In one embodiment, the test comprises obtaining a sample of mucosal tissue from the ileum or sigmoid colon of the patient; evaluating sample quality by testing for cadaverine and continuing the diagnostic test if the sample has no detectable cadaverine; testing the cadaverine negative sample for N-acetylated spermine; and correlating a detectable level of N-acetylated spermine in the sample with presence of IBD in the patient. Another, less invasive, method disclosed includes a diagnostic test comprising isolating mononuclear leukocytes from the patient's blood; testing the isolated mononuclear leukocytes for level of spermidine; and correlating a level of spermidine higher than that in mononuclear leukocytes of normal subjects as indicative of an inflammatory bowel disease in the patient.
US07972804B2
The invention is directed to methods of screening for HLA antibodies comprising detecting antibodies specific for native HLA antigens and denatured HLA antigens. The invention also provides for method of predicting whether a transplant recipient has an increased risk for rejecting the transplanted organ.
US07972802B2
The invention provides methods of screening a mammalian subject to determine if the subject is at risk to develop, or is suffering from, cardiovascular disease. The methods comprise detecting an amount of at least one biomarker in a biological sample, or HDL subfraction thereof, from the subject, and comparing the detected amount of the biomarker to a predetermined value, where a difference between the detected amount and the predetermined value is indicative of the presence or risk of cardiovascular disease in the subject. In some embodiments, the biomarker comprises at least one of ApoC-IV, Paraoxonase 1, C3, C4, ApoA-IV, ApoE, ApoL1, C4B1, Histone H2A, ApoC-II, ApoM, Vitronectin, Haptoglobin-related protein, and Clusterin, or combinations thereof.
US07972790B2
The present invention provides for selection of livestock animals, including bovines, whose genotypes based in the STAT6 gene are correlated with phenotypes reflecting desirable carcass and feedlot traits. These phenotypes include back fat (BFAT), calculated yield grade (CALCYG), cutability (CUT), hot carcass weight (HCW), dry matter intake (DMI), days on feed (DOF), back fat rate (BFAT RATE) and average daily gain (ADG), based on the knowledge of the STAT6 genotypes. The predictive value is based in part on the discovery that certain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the STAT6 gene are linked to phenotypes of economically these important carcass and feedlot traits. Also provided are SNPs within the STAT6 gene useful in reliably distinguishing between a Bos taurus and a Bos indicus bovine. The invention provides methods and compositions for determining STAT6 genotypes and for screening livestock animals to predict which animals will have desirable carcass traits and feedlot traits, allowing producers to selectively breed and manage animals based on desired characteristics, thereby maximizing productivity and profitability in commercial meat production operations.
US07972788B2
It is an object of the present invention to find substances that can be used as skin aging markers, and the present invention provides a method for determining the degree of skin aging, including measurement of expression of secretory proteins and/or intracellular proteins and/or their genes in skin cells and/or skin tissues, wherein the secretory proteins and/or intracellular proteins change their expression with aging of skin. The present invention also provides a kit for determining the degree of skin aging and a method for identifying substances effective in the prevention of skin aging.
US07972782B2
A novel nuclear receptor, termed the steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR), a broad-specificity sensing receptor that is a novel branch of the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been discovered. SXR forms a heterodimer with RXR that can bind to and induce transcription from response elements present in steroid-inducible cytochrome P450 genes in response to hundreds of natural and synthetic compounds with biological activity, including therapeutic steroids as well as dietary steroids and lipids. Instead of hundreds of receptors, one for each inducing compound, the invention SXR receptors monitor aggregate levels of inducers to trigger production of metabolizing enzymes in a coordinated metabolic pathway. Agonists and antagonists of SXR are administered to subjects to achieve a variety of therapeutic goals dependent upon modulating metabolism of one or more endogenous steroids or xenobiotics to establish homeostasis. An assay is provided for identifying steroid drugs that are likely to cause drug interaction if administered to a subject in therapeutic amounts. Transgenic animals are also provided which express human SXR, thereby serving as useful models for human response to various agents which potentially impact P450-dependent metabolic processes.
US07972779B2
The present invention relates to diagnostic methods for assessing predisposition of a subject to a mental disorder phenotype having an association with an at-risk allele of a brain-functional gene having a plurality of alleles, the association being conditioned by a pathogenic environmental risk factor status condition. Additionally, the invention relates to methods for discovering a conditional association between a mental disorder phenotype and an at-risk allele of a brain-functional gene having a plurality of alleles, the association being conditioned by a pathogenic environmental risk factor status condition.
US07972774B2
The invention provides reagents and methods for detecting pathogen infections in human samples. This detection utilizes specific proteins to detect the presence of pathogen proteins or abnormal expression of human proteins resulting from pathogen infections. Specific methods, compositions and kits are disclosed herein for the detection of oncogenic Human papillomavirus E6 proteins in clinical samples.
US07972771B2
A novel carboxypeptidase and the encoding gene thereof were successfully identified by screening a human hippocampus extract using brain-APP-cleaving activity as an index. This protein and its gene are useful in, for example, preventing, treating, examining, and diagnosing diseases that cause accumulation of Aβ in the brain, including senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Down's syndrome, hereditary cerebral hemorrhage, and cephalic contusion.
US07972768B1
This invention relates to systems, apparatus and methods of operating a wet combustion engine and apparatus therefore, capable of biologically burning fuels within a wet combustion chamber within a bioproactor system, including but not limited to, organic carbon containing materials especially biological, hazardous or toxic waste contaminants, in an environmentally sensitive manner. An integrated computer control system that, proactively and pre-emptively, uses feedback from bio-sensors, to monitor, record and control applicable components of the bio-system, to optimize, replenish, and sustain exponential growth of selected life-forms, including but not limited to microbes such as bacteria. In the intake cycle, a suitably prepared fuel mixture is metered into the wet combustion diffusion separation membrane chamber located within the life-support chamber of the bioproactor. In the combustion cycle, diffusion and combustion rates are monitored and timed. In the exhaust cycle, products of combustion, including water and incomplete combustion by-products both organic and inorganic, are removed. The above cycles may be repeated sequentially. The subsequent accumulation of all of the exhaust cycle's products of combustion may be collected, stored, classified, separated, recycled or discharged. Some of the potential energy released during the combustion cycle's reaction directly results in the conversion of wastes, the generation of gases and, in the case of organic carbon fuels, the generation of water. Other uses of the kinetic and potential energy released by this engine include, but are not limited to the, mechanical movements of actuators, and heat transfer to heat exchangers.
US07972763B2
The present invention provides a chemically amplified positive resist composition comprising (A) a resin obtainable by reacting a novolak resin, a poly(hydroxystyrene) and a compound having at least two vinyl ether structures, and (B) an acid generator.
US07972762B2
Provided are a positive resist composition and a resist pattern forming method having fewer defects and superior lithographic characteristics. The positive resist composition includes a resin component (A) which has on a main chain a structural unit derived from an (α-lower alkyl)acrylate ester and exhibits increased alkali solubility under the action of an acid, and an acid generating component (B) which generates the acid upon irradiation with radiation, in which the resin component (A) is a copolymer having at least two structural units which is obtained by incorporating an acid when polymerizing at least one monomer for the production thereof.
US07972754B2
To provide a fluorinated polymer which enables to reduce the amount of residual ink on partition walls and to form an ink layer having high uniformity in film thickness, and a negative photosensitive composition.A fluorinated polymer which is a copolymer made of at least two monomers each having an ethylenic double bond, and which has a side chain having a C20 or lower alkyl group in which at least one of its hydrogen atoms is substituted by a fluorine atom (provided that the alkyl group may contain an etheric oxygen atom between carbon atoms) and a side chain having at least two ethylenic double bonds per side chain.
US07972753B2
Masks for microlithography apparatus, methods for making such masks, and methods for exposing photosensitive materials to form arrays of microfeatures on semiconductor wafers using such masks. In one embodiment, a method of making a mask comprises forming a mask layer on a substrate and identifying a first opening in the mask layer corresponding to a first feature site at which an intensity of the radiation at a focal zone is less than the intensity of the radiation at the focal zone for a second feature site corresponding to a second opening in the mask. The second opening is adjacent or at least proximate the first opening. The method can further include forming a first surface at the first opening and a second surface at the second opening such that radiation passing through the second opening constructively interferes with radiation passing through the first opening at the focal zone.
US07972749B2
A fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell stack providing high voltage power. A tap is electrically coupled to the positive end of the stack to provide a positive voltage output terminal of the fuel cell stack, and a tap is electrically coupled to the negative end of the stack to provide a negative output terminal of the fuel cell stack. A low voltage tap is electrically coupled to one or more intermediate bipolar plates of the stack to provide low voltage power. Several intermediate taps can be electrically coupled to the bipolar plates, where a center intermediate tap is designated a reference potential tap. A switching network switches the several voltage potentials to provide an AC signal.
US07972744B2
A composite electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell is disclosed. The membrane is formed of a polymer having layers of a clay-based cation exchange material. The substrate comprises an electrode formed from a solution that has an exfoliated, inorganic, sodium-based cation exchange material, an ionically conductive polymer-based material, and a solvent-dispersant.
US07972735B2
A fuel cell system capable of performing activation for stabilizing electrical characteristics of a fuel cell with suppressing generation of polarity inversion associated with drying of a polymer electrolyte membrane and excess power consumption. An activation method for a fuel cell, the fuel cell system including a fuel cell having a fuel electrode and an oxidizer electrode that are provided on both sides of a polymer electrolyte membrane; a resistance detector for detecting an internal resistance of the fuel cell; a load connection portion having a mechanism for connecting a resistor between the fuel electrode and the oxidizer electrode; and a control unit for controlling the load connection portion. The control unit controls the operation of the load connection portion based on a value of the inner resistance of the fuel cell, which is detected by the resistance detector.
US07972726B2
Primary alkaline batteries containing pentavalent bismuth metal oxides are disclosed.
US07972724B2
A negative electrode for a lithium rechargeable battery is provided. The negative electrode includes a current collector, a thermosetting resin layer disposed on the current collector, and a negative active material layer disposed on the thermosetting resin layer. Metal ions in the current collector are diffused into the thermosetting resin layer, creating a concentration gradient of metal ions in the thermosetting resin layer. The metal ions diffused into the thermosetting resin layer react with the thermosetting resin to form metal compounds.
US07972710B2
An electrical connector including a base pad formed of aluminum and having a bottom surface. An electrical contact can be connected to the base pad. A layer of copper can be on the bottom surface of the base pad.
US07972708B2
A heat shield for shielding an object against heat and/or noise has at least one metal layer having a first and a second surface, beyond at least one of which a plurality of embossments projects. At least a part of the embossments differ from the remaining embossments in their size.
US07972706B2
This invention provides a multi-layer film or sheet prepared by coextruding or laminating polypropylene with one or more polyethylene(s), characterised in that the adhesion between a polypropylene layer and a polyethylene layer is provided by a metallocene-produced polyethylene.
US07972703B2
Baffle wafers of polycrystalline silicon are placed in non-production slots of a support tower for thermal processing monocrystalline silicon wafers. The polycrystalline silicon is preferably randomly oriented Czochralski polysilicon grown using a randomly oriented seed, for example, CVD grown silicon. An all-silicon hot zone of a thermal furnace may include a silicon support tower placed within a silicon liner and supporting the polysilicon baffle wafers with silicon injector tube providing processing gas within the liner. The randomly oriented polysilicon may be used for other parts requiring a rugged member, for example, within a silicon processing chamber and for structural members.
US07972699B2
An optically transparent and electrically conductive single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) film comprises a plurality of interpenetrated single walled carbon nanotubes, wherein for a 100 nm film the film has sufficient interpenetration to provide a 25° C. sheet resistance of less than 200 ohm/sq. The film also provides at least 20% optical transmission throughout a wavelength range from 0.4 μm to 5 μm.
US07972698B2
The core panel includes a plurality of carbon foam blocks. One or more of the blocks have a cell volume wherein at least about 90% of the cells have a diameter of between at least about 10 microns and about 150 microns. Also at least about 1% of the cell volume of the block has cells having a diameter of about 0.8 microns to about 3.5 microns.
US07972696B2
Particles with a structural surface which are useful to produce abrasion resistant self-cleaning surfaces contain particulate solid particles having a superstructured overlayer of fine particles. The particles may be prepared by polymerizing a polymerizable siloxane, silane, or mixture thereof in a Pickering emulsion.
US07972685B2
A composition of a fiber reinforced multi-layered laminate that when compression-molded forms a composite having a Class-A surface that is resin rich. The fiber reinforced multi-layered laminate has an outer layer of a cyclic polyester oligomer containing a latent polymerization catalyst; a glass mat; a core layer of a cyclic polyester oligomer containing a latent polymerization catalyst; a second glass mat, and another outer layer of a cyclic polyester oligomer containing a latent polymerization catalyst. When compression molded, the combination of heat and pressure force the core layer through the permeable glass mats and toward the surface. The latent polymerization catalyst initiates polymerization of the cyclic polyester oligomer forming a Class-A surface that is resin rich. The core layer of a cyclic polyester oligomer thoroughly permeates the reinforcing fiber forming a composite having a middle, with a nearly uniform mixture of reinforced glass fiber and thermoplastic in situ polymerized resin.
US07972684B2
A transparent conductive laminated body (1) contains a polymer film having a metallic compound layer and a transparent conductive layer laminated sequentially on at least one surface thereof, (2) the metallic compound layer is in contact with the transparent conductive layer, and (3) the metallic compound layer has a thickness of 0.5 nm or more and less than 10.0 nm.
US07972675B2
A friction material has a resin amount distribution that is the largest at a portion near a non-friction surface, that becomes lower toward an inside and that is the lowest at a portion near a friction surface. For example, such friction material is manufacture as follows. First, two friction materials are overlapped while the friction surfaces faced with each other. Then, the friction materials are dried at a room temperature. At this time, the resin has such a characteristic as to move while dragged by a solvent that dries from the non-friction surface located outside. Using such characteristic, the resin amount at the portion near the friction surface is lessened. Then, a temperature at the friction surface is made low and a temperature at the non-friction surface is made high in a drying step of the friction material. Thereby, the resin amount at the portion near the friction surface is lessened.
US07972668B2
A laminated construction having a first layer having a plurality of criss-crossing foamed filaments adhered to each other and defining a net, an impermeable layer laminated to the first layer along two opposite longitudinal edges to form a sleeve, and a perforated pipe extending within the sleeve. In another embodiment, a porous membrane surrounds the layer having a plurality of criss-crossing foamed filaments adhered to each other. In another embodiment, the laminated construction forms a pipe having a first layer having a plurality of criss-crossing foamed filaments adhered to each other and defining a net, an impermeable layer laminated to the first layer along two opposite longitudinal edges to form a sleeve, and a plurality of loose fill elements are within the sleeve for passage of fluid therethrough.
US07972663B2
A method of forming a silicon nitride layer is described. According to the present invention, a silicon nitride layer is deposited by thermally decomposing a silicon/nitrogen containing source gas or a silicon containing source gas and a nitrogen containing source gas at low deposition temperatures (e.g., less than 550° C.) to form a silicon nitride layer. The thermally deposited silicon nitride layer is then treated with hydrogen radicals to form a treated silicon nitride layer.
US07972661B2
An electrospraying apparatus and/or method is used to coat particles. For example, a flow including at least one liquid suspension may be provided through at least one opening at a spray dispenser end. The flow includes at least particles and a coating material. A spray of microdroplets suspending at least the particles is established forward of the spray dispenser end by creating a nonuniform electrical field between the spray dispenser end and an electrode electrically isolated therefrom. The particles are coated with at least a portion of the coating material as the microdroplet evaporates. For example, the suspension may include biological material particles.
US07972656B2
Coating compositions, articles, and methods of coating articles are provided. The coating compositions and methods provide abrasion resistant formable coatings when cured on a substrate. The articles can be formed after the coating compositions are applied to a substrate and cured. Abrasion resistant, tintable coatings are also provided.
US07972654B2
A planarizing coating method for filling a step between patterns formed on a board surface, includes the steps of: preparing at least two types of coating liquids different in non-volatile matter densities, first coating one of the coating liquids higher in density on the board surface, rotating the board so as to leave the one coating liquid inside the step and such that, at the same time, substantially none of the one coating liquid is left on a pattern crest of the patterns, subsequently coating another of the coating liquids lower in non-volatile matter density on the board surface, and rotating the board so that the coating liquid lower in density is left on a coating film comprising the one coating liquid higher in density and such that, at the same time, substantially none of the other coating liquid lower in density left on the pattern crest.
US07972648B2
A method of forming an implant to be implanted into living bone is disclosed. The method comprises the act of roughening at least a portion of the implant surface to produce a microscale roughened surface. The method further comprises forming a nanoscale roughened surface on the microscale roughened surface. The method further comprises the act of depositing discrete nanoparticles on the nanoscale roughened surface though a one-step process of exposing the roughened surface to a solution including the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles comprise a material having a property that promotes osseointegration.
US07972645B2
An extract from a tuber of a Dioscorea plant is disclosed. Also disclosed is a composition containing an extract from a tuber of a Dioscorea plant, as well as methods of using the extract and composition.
US07972636B2
The present invention relates to a beverage containing bamboo extract as a main ingredient, for details, a beverage containing bamboo extract as the main ingredient, which is useful for amelioration of diabetes, cancer, life-style related diseases or the like. A beverage characterized in containing, as the main ingredient, bamboo extract obtained through the process comprising the steps by immersing bamboo in water and extracting the bamboo extract with heating the water to 95° C. or higher and maintaining the temperature for a period of 2 hr 45 min to 3 hr 15 min.
US07972635B2
This invention relates to compositions comprising a polymer base incorporating antifouling compositions suitable for use in aquaculture, marine and architectural systems as paints, structures or coatings. In particular, the present invention relates to a polymer based coating incorporating a biocidal antifouling composition suitable for use with aquaculture equipment. The present invention provides polyethylene compositions and latex compounds which may comprise at least one environmentally benign phytochemicals suitable for use in preventing the colonization of a treated surface by a variety of biological species. The compositions of the invention may further comprise control release agents such as, for example, micro-encapsulation of the phytochemicals to maintain sustained and prolonged release of the biocidal agents at the treated surface.
US07972634B2
A gel-type bird aversion composition consists of, on the basis of weight, 30 to 90% of a thickening agent, 0.01 to 4% of an ultraviolet ray absorbent, 0.1 to 20% of methyl anthranilate, 0.1 to 10% of cinnamon essential oil, 0.1 to 20% of mint essential oil; 5 to 40% by weight of mineral oil or grease; and 1 to 10% by weight of emulsifier.
US07972631B2
The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical use in an animal, preferably in a human. In one aspect, compositions and methods are provided for promoting cell growth, tissue repair and organ regeneration, preferably in vivo and in situ. The composition comprises a sterol compound dissolved in oil at a concentration at least 0.5% by weight. The compositions may be used in the treatment of various conditions caused by injury, diseases and aging. As shown clinically, the methodology disclosed in the present invention was used successfully to regenerate or clone a new organ through cultivation of regenerative stem cells in vivo and in situ.
US07972626B2
Nasal pharmaceutical formulations comprising a drug substance having a specific particle size distribution profile are disclosed herein. Such profile provides increased bioavailability, increased efficacy or prolonged therapeutic effect of the drug substance when administered intranasally. The formulations of the present invention may comprise one or more corticosteroids having a specific particle size distribution profile. In a preferred embodiment, the corticosteroid is fluticasone or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof for the treatment of one or more symptoms of rhinitis. Preferably, the drug substance is fluticasone propionate. The formulations herein may be provided as an aqueous suspension suitable for inhalation via the intranasal route.
