US08411308B2

Disclosed is a printing machine comprising: encoders (311 and 312) configured to detect respective angular velocities of a drive roller and a driven roller as a travel speed of core members inside a transfer belt (160); a DSP (321) configured to extract from a temporal variation in a ratio of the measured speed at each roller speed ratio data (profile data) having a frequency corresponding to the speed ratio of a core portion; profile data memory (332) configured to store the profile data; and a head controller (334) configured to control the timing at which each image is formed by a head unit (110) on the basis of the profile data so that positional deviation among multiple images on the transfer belt (160) may be reduced. The head unit (110) forms multiple images on a record medium under the control of the head controller (334). Thus, an ink misalignment at the time of printing can be prevented with high accuracy by recording a change in the core members inside the belt as a profile, using this profile, and reducing memory usage and arithmetic processing load.
US08411301B2

The subject application is directed to a system and method for location-based document output scheduling. At least one electronic document is first received into an associated data storage. A map is generated on an associated display, which map includes indicia corresponding to alternative facility locations associated with a selected event. The map also includes indicia corresponding to locations of alternative document rendering devices corresponding to the facility. Device selection data is received from an associated user of at least one document rendering device selected from the alternative document rendering devices as well as temporal data corresponding to a time of the selected event. Operation of each selected document rendering device is commenced so as to render the at least one electronic document at a timing corresponding to the temporal data.
US08411294B2

An image forming system or the like may be installed at a public location such as a computer center of university to serve people who want to print for various purposes. Restrictions may be placed on the use of the system. Restriction on the use of the system may be lifted temporarily depending on the circumstances. For example, when a user is desperate to print a document despite the fact that the user is under restriction, the restriction may be lifted temporarily with some conditions. A printing system includes a cancellation requesting section and a printing section. The cancellation requesting section issues a request for cancellation of a print restriction placed on a user. The printing section cancels the print restriction in response to the request.
US08411291B2

An image processing program product enables an image processing apparatus to perform operations including the steps of: storing a plurality of image information to be transmitted by a facsimile apparatus; sequentially outputting the stored image information; reading a mode list from a mode list recording unit on which a list of modes for images to be transmitted has been described; converting an image in accordance with the mode indicated by the mode list; and transmitting the converted image information to the facsimile apparatus. The converting includes a transmission data forming step for adding a transmission destination described in the mode list recording unit to the outputted image information and for forming transmission data based upon the mode of the image described in the mode list recording unit.
US08411273B2

An optical arrangement comprising a multi-mode fiber (16) for carrying single mode laser light (12); a randomizer (18) for randomizing spatial modes supported by the fiber and means for averaging, out the randomized spatial modes to recover the single spatial mode.
US08411268B2

A spectrometer comprises a detector array and a prism. The prism comprises a first prism element comprising a substantially crystalline crown material, and a second prism element contacting the first prism element, the second prism element comprising a substantially crystalline flint material. The spectrometer further includes optics configured to direct light at least twice through the prism. The prism is configured to disperse light received from the optics at an incident angle therethrough into constituent spectra in visible and infrared wavelength bands that are dispersed from the prism at angles offset from the incident angle. The constituent spectra are directed onto the detector array with approximately equal dispersion across the visible and infrared wavelength bands. Among other things, desirable material selections for the first and second prism elements are also disclosed.
US08411266B2

An improved cassette for detecting and quantifying particles in a liquid is provided. A sample volume of a liquid is held by a housing with an inlet and an outlet for the liquid. Light is emitted across the sample volume and reflected creating a doubled length of the optical path in the sample volume. The probability of detecting particles is increased and the measurement is improved. The housing reduces noise due to air bubbles and improves sensitivity of detection of particles in the liquid sample.
US08411263B2

A method of evaluating a silicon wafer includes obtaining first surface distribution information indicating an surface distribution of photoluminescence intensity on a surface of a silicon wafer; after obtaining the first surface distribution information, subjecting the silicon wafer to a thermal oxidation treatment, and then obtaining second surface distribution information indicating an surface distribution of photoluminescence intensity on the surface of the silicon wafer; obtaining difference information for the first surface distribution information and third surface distribution information, with the third surface distribution information having been obtained by correcting the second surface distribution information with a correction coefficient of less than 1; and based on the difference information obtained, evaluating an evaluation item selected from the group consisting of absence or presence of oxygen precipitates and surface distribution of oxygen precipitates in the silicon wafer being evaluated.
US08411258B2

A positioning system and method for determining a coordinate of an object may comprise a positioning transmitter system and a positioning receiver system. The positioning transmitter system includes at least four light sources and a master anchor to modulate the light sources to emit modulated light signals each having a modulation frequency. The positioning receiver system comprises a lens to focus the light signals onto an optical sensor, an envelope detector to receive a signal from the optical sensors and provide output signals corresponding to the modulation frequency, and positioning detection circuitry. The positioning detection circuitry receives calibration data; determines at least four phase difference of arrival (PDOA) pairs based on the output signals from the envelope detector; determines at least four phase corrected PDOA pairs based on the calibration data and the PDOA pairs; determines at least four linear distance differences based on the phase corrected PDOA pairs; and determines the coordinate of the object based on the linear distance differences and the calibration data.
US08411250B2

An exposure apparatus includes a measurement system which performs exposure control measurement using a first mark arranged on an original stage and a second mark arranged on a substrate stage, and a control unit which can set, when the measurement system performs the measurement in order to expose a substrate to light under a certain illumination condition, an illumination condition different from the certain illumination condition.
US08411248B2

An exposure apparatus is provided which can supply and collect a liquid in a prescribed state, and that can suppress degradation of a pattern image projected onto a substrate. The exposure apparatus is provided with a nozzle member (70) having a supply outlet (12) that supplies a liquid (LQ) and a collection inlet (22) that collects a liquid (LQ), and a vibration isolating mechanism (60) that supports the nozzle member (70) and vibrationally isolates the nozzle member (70) from a lower side step part (7) of a main column (1).
US08411239B2

An array substrate of the present invention includes: an insulating substrate; a plurality of scanning lines on the insulating substrate; a plurality of data lines each disposed so as to intersect the plurality of scanning lines on the insulating substrate; picture element electrodes each formed in a substantially rectangular shape, the picture element electrodes each being connected, via a switching element, to a corresponding scanning line and a corresponding data line, the picture element electrodes each having a long side disposed along a direction in which the plurality of scanning lines are extended and a short side disposed along a direction in which the plurality of data lines are extended, the picture element electrodes each having cut sections formed by cutting two corners of each of the picture element electrodes, the cut sections being formed so as to serve as alignment dividing means. This makes it possible, regarding an MVA liquid crystal display device, to easily ensure a sufficient process yield as well as improving display quality by ensuring a sufficient aperture ratio in each one pixel.
US08411238B2

To provide a liquid crystal display panel that has high contrast and reduced display deficiency, a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes: a pair of substrates (1) and (2) facing each other; and a liquid crystal layer (3) sandwiched between the pair of substrates (1) and (2), the pair of substrates (1) and (2) being provided with a pair of respective alignment films (4) and (5) formed thereon and facing each other, the pair of alignment films (4) and (5) being provided with respective polymer films (6) and (7) formed thereon and each made of a monomer in the liquid crystal layer (3), the pair of alignment films (4) and (5) containing a macromolecular compound having a functional group represented by at least one of General Formulae (1) through (5), the liquid crystal layer (3) containing a polymerizable monomer represented by at least one of General Formulae (6) through (8), the polymer films (6) and (7) each being (i) made of the polymerizable monomer represented by at least one of General Formulae (6) through (8) and (ii) bonded to the functional group represented by at least one of General Formulae (1) through (5).
US08411235B1

A display for presenting a stereoscopic image includes multiple layers of image forming devices configured to provide the stereoscopic image and an etched substrate configured to diffuse light projected through or from the multiple layers of image forming devices. The etched substrate is laminated or bonded to a front surface of the multiple layers of image forming devices.
US08411231B2

A pixel architecture for compensating for distortions in a flexible substrate of a flexible display, including: a first layer including a thin film transistor (TFT) on a flexible substrate; a second layer disposed above said first layer including a pixel electrode coupled to said TFT for receiving a signal from said TFT; and a third layer including a color filter for filtering light displayed by said pixel, wherein said third layer is aligned to said second layer such that said color filter is substantially aligned to said pixel electrode, said alignment compensating for distortions in said first layer caused by distortions in said flexible substrate.
US08411230B2

A polarizer is provided comprising a subwavelength optical microstructure wherein the microstructure is partially covered with a light-transmissive inhibiting surface for polarizing light. The inhibiting surface can include a reflective surface, such as a metalized coating. The subwavelength optical microstructure can include moth-eye structures, linear prisms, or modified structures thereof A polarizing structure is further provided comprising a plurality of moth-eye structures stacked on one another for polarizing light.
US08411223B2

A display apparatus includes a display panel, a protective plate to protect the panel, a resin layer to join them, and a support having an opening corresponding to a screen area of the panel. The panel is disposed on one side of the support so that the screen area faces the opening. A peripheral portion of the panel is fixed to the support. The plate has such projecting widths that the peripheral portion thereof is overlapped on the periphery of the opening. The plate is arranged on the other side of the support with the peripheral portion thereof being fixed to the support through spacers provided between the support and plate to surround the opening at intervals. Some spacers are continuously formed extending from the edge of the opening to the edge of the plate. The resin layer is charged into the opening and a region surrounded by the spacers.
US08411203B2

A rendering control unit determines movie and graphic display modes with reference to a rendering processing command, and acquires maximum speed information indicating the maximum value of a read/write speed allowed for a memory. The rendering control unit decides a speed to be distributed to a read/write speed of the movie data and a speed to be distributed to a read/write speed of the graphic data with respect to the memory, of a maximum speed indicated by the maximum speed information, based on the determination result. The rendering control unit controls a read/write access of an image with respect to the memory based on the rendering processing command, in accordance with the decided speeds.
US08411200B2

A video signal processing device includes: a correction unit which performs correction such that when a first frame to be displayed at a first time includes a pixel different from a pixel to be included in the first frame, the pixel different from the pixel to be included in the first frame is corrected to the pixel to be included in the first frame, and when a second frame to be displayed at a second time prior to the first time includes a pixel different from a pixel to be included in the second frame, the pixel different from the pixel to be included in the second frame is corrected to the pixel to be included in the second frame; and a motion compensation unit which generates an interpolation frame to be displayed at a time between the first and second times by referring to the first and second frames.
US08411190B2

A control apparatus for controlling an image capture apparatus includes a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit transmits a first command to the image capture apparatus if a predetermined area in a captured image received from the image capture apparatus and a pointer operated by an operation unit are overlapped. The communication unit transmits a second command to the image capture apparatus if a button of the operation unit is clicked in a state that the predetermined area and the pointer are overlapped.
US08411185B2

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of unit cell groups arranged in a row direction and a plurality of common output lines for transmitting output signals from the plurality of unit cell groups, each including a plurality of unit cells arranged in the row direction. Each of the plurality of unit cells includes an m number of pixels arranged in a column direction and including photoelectric conversion elements each converting incident light to different color signals; an m number of holding units holding color signals of the m number of pixels; an m number of color selecting switches each selecting one color signal from within the color signals held in the m number of holding units; and a transfer switch outputting the color signals selected by the color selecting switches to one common output line of the plurality of common output lines.
US08411182B2

A photosensor chip, such as used in a hard-copy scanner, reads out image data in repeated cycles. With each cycle an on-board counter counts to a predetermined number and resets to zero. When the clock count reaches certain numbers, integration events are initiated with regard to different subsets of photosensors on the chip. The start and stop times of the integrations within each cycle can thus be adjusted via software instructions.
US08411175B2

According to one embodiment, an image defect correction processing circuit includes a signal level comparator circuit and a defect correction circuit. The signal level comparator circuit extracts the maximum signal level and the minimum signal level from a plurality of pixel signals existing around a correction target pixel. The defect correction circuit executes defect corrections with respect to the correction target pixel.
US08411165B2

A microphone apparatus of the present invention is applied to a camera including a panel type view finder for displaying a picture taken by the camera, a touch panel for pointing a desired position of the picture displayed on the view finder, determining circuit for determining a direction of the real picture in accordance with the position pointed by the touch panel, a microphone device having a plurality of microphone units for collecting a sound that comes from the picture taken by the camera; and directivity generating circuit for generating a sound directivity signal with which the microphone device collects the sound coming from the direction determined by the determining circuit.
US08411164B2

A mobile terminal and method for automatic geotagging are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a camera for capturing an image and for generating image data, a location information module for determining location information of the mobile terminal, and a controller configured to concurrently operate the camera and the location information module in response to a user input and to store the location information with the image data.
US08411161B2

A method of and an apparatus for automatically estimating the tilting angle in tilted images enables level correction of the images. A preferred orientation of objects in an image and the deviation of the current orientation from the preferred orientation is determined by tilt image analysis without object recognition. Tilt image analysis includes several steps such as gradient feature computation, line segment tracking, line segment estimation and orientation deviation estimation. Once the tilt angle is determined, the image can be corrected so that an object or scene is not tilted or is tilted by only the appropriate amount.
US08411152B2

When storing an image file in an external recording medium with a communication function that is configured to automatically transfer a JPEG file stored in a predetermined directory, the apparatus stores a thumbnail image obtained by reducing an image size of a primary image in a predetermined directory. The primary image file is stored in a different directory to the predetermined directory.
US08411141B2

A video processing apparatus obtains information describing the amount of displacement of images in multiple predetermined units (such as video durations) imaged by an imaging apparatus from an image at steady state, which is a reference, and displays the images in the multiple predetermined units in decreasing order of amounts of displacement based on the obtained information describing the amounts of displacement.
US08411135B2

Crosstalk artifacts in a retro-reflective auto-stereoscopic 3D display system are compensated by providing various methods of directing surface reflections of a screen away from a viewing region, i.e. a region from which the screen is viewed. This is achieved by splitting the screen in two, and tilting the left-side and right-side of the screen either towards, or away, from a projection baseline so as to direct mirror reflections away from the viewing region. Alternatively, the screen is not split, but vertical v-shaped grooves are made along the surface of the screen facing the projection line. The angle of the v-shaped grooves direct surface reflections away from the viewing region, but the grooves are substantially small so that the screen appears flat to an observer.
US08411129B2

A computer-implemented method includes receiving registration messages at a call control agent device via first unicast transmissions from at least three video conference terminals. The registration messages request set up of a video conference between the at least three video conference terminals. The computer-implemented method includes sending a set up message from the call control agent device to each of the at least three conference terminals via second unicast transmissions. The set up message includes at least an identification of a multicast control group, a send multicast group of each of the at least three conference terminals, and a default receive multicast group. In response to the set up message, one or more of the at least three video conference terminals join the default receive multicast group.
US08411124B2

A pixel information acquiring unit acquires multilevel pixel information in which one pixel is expressed in multilevel scales. A line pixel information storing unit stores the multilevel pixel information for each main scanning line. A light emission control unit optically exposes a photosensitive element by controlling a binary light source on the basis of the multilevel pixel information. The photosensitive element is exposed to the binary light source with a period corresponding to N-fold in a sub scanning direction resolution of the multilevel pixel information, wherein N is a positive integer, so that the N times exposures corresponds to an exposure for one pixel in an original resolution. The switch on/off statuses of the binary light source are controlled in the N times exposures for each pixel, on the basis of lighting rate information for converting the multilevel scales into a lighting rate in the N times exposures.
US08411123B2

A light scanning apparatus is provided in which a light source is controlled so that the total exposure energy density of when light beams are emitted to an image carrying member across light deflection scanning of a plurality of times becomes constant on the image carrying member, thereby high image quality, long lasting output images are obtained. Exposure energy density necessary when exposure is completed by light deflection scanning of one time is set to Ex1, the latent image electrical potential deepness of a latent image formed thereof is set to Vs1, total exposure energy density across light deflection scanning of a plurality of times is set to Ex_n, the latent image electrical potential deepness thereof is set to Vs_n, wherein Ex_n=Ex1−ΔEx and {(Vs_n/Vs1)^3−1.05}×Ex1<ΔEx<{(Vs_n/Vs1)^3−0.95}×Ex1.
US08411112B1

The subject technology provides a computer-implemented method for icon generation according to one aspect. The method comprises determining a color from a first icon, generating a colored region comprising the determined color, and generating a composite image of the colored region and the first icon to produce a second icon, wherein the second icon is larger than the first icon.
US08411111B2

At least one embodiment of the present invention relates to a method, a device and/or a computer program product for creating a (three- or four-dimensional) model from a number of different image datasets from a number of modalities. To this end, in at least one embodiment, the image datasets are fitted into a representation provided, the different image datasets being automatically enriched with contour lines and integrated into the representation. The model is created from this.
US08411105B1

A method and system for computing pixel parameters is disclosed. In one embodiment, the rasterizing of a geometric primitive comprising a plurality of vertices wherein each vertex comprises a respective color value, is performed by a rasterization module of a graphics pipeline. The rasterizing includes interpolating a respective color value for each pixel of the geometric primitive, wherein the respective color value is of a first bit width. The rasterizing also includes transforming the respective color value to a second bit width to produce a respective transformed color value for each pixel. Additionally, the rasterizing includes altering the respective transformed color value using a screen-location based dither table to produce a dithered transformed color value for each pixel. After the rasterizing, propagating the respective dithered transformed color value of each pixel to downstream modules of the graphics pipeline is performed.
US08411100B2

A mobile device includes a display having a plurality of display modes including a folder view display mode wherein a plurality of folders are viewable. An input device is operable to change the display mode of the display between the folder view display mode and other display modes. A memory within the mobile device stores a folder that has been previously identified for persistent viewing. A processor controls the operation of the mobile device such that after the folder previously identified for persistent viewing is stored in memory, when the folder view display mode is entered, the folder is automatically displayed on the display.
US08411090B2

Disclosed is a method for flattening a 3D surface into a 2D piece. In one embodiment, the method is implemented by constructing a plurality of wire-patches by feature curves on a surface patch of the 3D surface, wherein each of feature curves comprises a plurality of wire-nodes; computing an optimal 2D angle for each of said wire-nodes of the constructed wire-patches; determining an optimal position for each of said wire-nodes based on the computed optimal 2D angles thereof, respectively; and laying out each of said feature curves in 2D based on the determined optimal position. A device to flatten a 3D surface into a 2D piece is also provided.
US08411086B2

A method and system for defining a model by analyzing images of a physical space. In some embodiments the images of a physical space contain distinctive visual features with associated semantic information, and the model is defined using image feature detection techniques to identify distinctive visual features and a rich marker-based markup language to give meaning to the distinctive visual features. In some embodiments the distinctive visual features are predefined markers, and the markup language specifies model aspects and rules for combining semantic information from a plurality of markers to define the model.
US08411082B1

An ordered object list is compared with an ordered ray list and if the coordinate value of an entry in the ray list is less than the coordinate value of an entry in the object list, then the ray is added to an active ray list, and a trace of that ray is made against all objects in an active object list. If the coordinate value of the entry in the ray list is greater than the coordinate value of the entry in the object list, then the coordinate value corresponding to the entry in the object list is added to an active object list, and a trace of all rays in the active ray list is made against that coordinate value. Rays and objects are removed from the active lists based on determinations as to whether a trace hit occurred and/or which object point is encountered.
US08411078B2

In a method of modulating/demodulating a signal, a transmission signal is generated from an input data signal including data information by combining a plurality of input shift clock signals, which are modulated based on input clock signal during an interval period of the input clock signal, during 2 interval periods of the input clock signal. An output clock signal is detected and an output clock signal is generated from the transmission signal by combining a plurality of output shift clock signals, demodulated based on the output clock signal during an interval period of the output clock, during 2 interval periods of the output clock signal, to restore the data information.
US08411076B2

The present invention relates to a display device comprising a battery (6) used as the power supply in standby mode and a standby mode microcontroller (3) which controls the elements used in standby mode by measuring the current drawn from the battery (6) and the battery voltage (Vbat), and in which device, the power drawn from the mains supply in standby mode is zero.
US08411073B2

A video processing device comprises a display interface coupleable to a display device and a display controller configured to transmit a video signal via an output node of the display interface. The video signal comprises an active segment comprising video information and an inactive segment comprising synchronization information. The video processing device further comprises a display detector configured to determine whether the display device is coupled to the display interface based on a comparison of a first voltage at the output node during transmission of the inactive segment to a second voltage.
US08411058B2

A system and method for a touch display system. The a touch display system includes: a flat touch display assembly including a matrix of flat Braille pixels, wherein each flat Braille pixel is operable to be placed in one of two states. A heating source is selectively connected to each flat Braille pixel. A cooling source selectively connected to each flat Braille pixel. The flat Braille pixels are configured to represent images to touch by selective heating and cooling thereof. In one embodiment, the above described display can be used in combination with software that automatically converts text to Braille which is displayed using the flat touch display assembly.
US08411054B2

The present invention features an input device for a touch panel type for a vehicle, wherein, by replacing the conventional switch of a tact type into a touch panel using an electric field sensor, it is able to change an analog input method according to an operation of the conventional switch of the tact type into a digital input method according to electric signals, and also, by a touch panel of a button-integrated type that senses a change of an electric field, it is able to improve utilization of the inner space in the vehicle, and for unifies the panel.
US08411052B2

A touch panel includes a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate spaced from the first electrode plate. The first electrode plate includes a first substrate, a plurality of first transparent electrodes, and a plurality of first signal wires. The second electrode plate includes a second substrate, a plurality of second transparent electrodes, and a plurality of second signal wires. Both the second transparent electrode and the first transparent electrode include a transparent carbon nanotube structure, the carbon nanotube structure includes of a plurality of metallic carbon nanotubes.
US08411050B2

A computing device receives position coordinates of a touch input region upon a user touching the touch input region. The computing device also receives an audio signal from an audio sensor upon the user touching the touch input region. An impact strength of the user's touch is determined based on the audio signal. The computing device performs an action that is associated with the determined impact strength.
US08411047B2

A touch-sensitive display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, a display layer and at least one touch-sensitive device is provided. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The display layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The touch-sensitive device is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and located beside the display layer. The displaying brightness of the touch-sensitive display panel is not adversely affected by the touch-sensitive device. In addition, the thickness of the touch-sensitive display panel is relative small.
US08411046B2

Column organization of content is described. In an implementation, a mobile communications device configures a user interface to include a plurality of representations of content arranged according to a plurality of columns that permits navigation between first and second said columns upon detection of a gesture input via a touchscreen of the mobile communications device. The user interface is displayed on a display device of the mobile communications device. The first column is configured for vertical navigation through each of the plurality of representations and the second column includes a filtered subset of the plurality of representations such that at least one of the representations is included in the first column and not the second column.
US08411045B2

An electronic touch panel includes a plurality of spaced apart touch sensor pads that are arranged in a first direction on a planar layer. A proximity sensor pad is on the planar layer and is electrically isolated from the touch sensor pads. The proximity sensor pad has a greater surface area than a plurality of the touch sensor pads. A position detection circuit is configured to electrically charge the touch sensor pads to generate capacitive coupling to an adjacent user object and to detect therefrom a location of the user object relative to the first direction across the planar layer, and configured to electrically charge the proximity sensor pad to generate a higher level of capacitive coupling to the user object than a plurality of the touch sensor pads and to detect therefrom a proximity of the user object in a perpendicular direction to the planar layer. The proximity sensor pad may extend as a continuous line on the planar layer between adjacent spaced apart columns of the touch sensor pads.
US08411042B2

An electronic device that has a sensing function with no-hindrance touching is provided. The electronic device includes a casing, a touch display and a processor. The casing has an opening, and the touch display is disposed inside the opening for receiving an operation of an input tool. The touch display has a sensing surface which allows the input tool to slide smoothly over the sensing surface and the casing. The processor is electrically coupled to the touch display, and the user interface displayed by the touch display is determined by the processor. As a result, the convenience of operating the electronic device is increased.
US08411037B2

A keyboard key has a key portion that forms a cantilevered beam pivotable about an axis. A switch is disposed relative to the cantilevered beam, such that rotation of the cantilever beam about the axis causes depression of the switch. The switch is offset from an applied force-receiving portion of the key portion. A touch sensitive key also includes a touch sensor detecting contact with the key portion of the key. The invention can be extended such that the key portion is formed of transparent or semi-transparent material. The invention can also be extended to include touch sensitive areas on any portion of an upper case of the computer keyboard.
US08411036B2

Techniques for hardware accelerated caret rendering are described in which a system based caret is emulated using hardware acceleration technology. The hardware accelerated caret can be rendered using dedicated graphics processing hardware to look and feel like a system caret. This can involve using pixel shaders to produce the hardware accelerated caret and a employing a back-up texture to remove the caret after it is drawn and cause the caret to blink. In addition, rendering of the caret can be coordinated with other animations and/or other presentations of a frame buffer to piggy back drawing of the caret onto other drawing operations. This can reduce the number of times the frame buffer is presented and therefore improve performance.
US08411035B2

A track ball cursor positioning sub-system is employed by a handheld electronic device including an operating system and a plurality of applications having a plurality of predetermined scaling values. The cursor positioning sub-system includes a track ball cursor positioning device adapted to output a plurality of device pulses, and a track ball cursor resolution controller adapted to repetitively input the device pulses and to responsively output to the operating system a plurality of cursor movement events. The cursor resolution controller is further adapted to be controlled by the operating system or by the applications to learn which one of the applications is active and to automatically scale a number of the cursor movement events for a corresponding number of the device pulses based upon a corresponding one of the predetermined scaling values of the active one of the applications.
US08411033B2

An information input device and a method and medium for inputting information in three-dimensional (3D) space are provided. The information input device includes a movement signal input unit receiving a movement signal of the information input device under control of a user in a three-dimensional (3D) space, a movement extent calculating unit calculating an extent of a movement of the information input device by analyzing the received movement signal, a movement identification unit identifying a type of the movement by comparing the calculated extent of the movement with a predetermined threshold, and a signal processor processing the received movement signal so that an instruction corresponding to the identified type of movement is performed.
US08411021B2

A display control apparatus includes an external light detection unit configured to detect ambient brightness of a display apparatus, a variation detection unit configured to detect a variation of orientation of the display apparatus, and a control unit configured to adjust display luminance of the display apparatus according to the ambient brightness detected by the external light detection unit and the variation detected by the variation detection unit.
US08411019B2

A display apparatus includes a display panel, a light source unit including a plurality of light sources that irradiate the display panel with light, a first control signal generating unit that inverts and forward rectifies a scan signal for scanning of the light source unit, a second control signal generating unit that inverts and backward rectifies an overdrive signal for overcurrent emission of the light source unit and has its output port coupled to an output port of the first control signal generating unit, and an inverter that supplies current to the light source unit based on a control signal output from the output port of the first control signal generating unit and the output port of the second control signal generating unit.
US08411018B2

A source driver comprising a first DAC with a positive polarity (PDAC), a second DAC with a negative polarity (NDAC), first and second operational amplifiers. Each operational amplifier is characterized with a 1st & 2nd stage and an output stage. The PDAC and NDAC are coupled to the first and second operational amplifiers through a first pair of switches. The 1st & 2nd and output stages of the first operational amplifier are coupled to the 1st & 2nd and output stages of the second operational amplifier through a second pair of switches. The first and second operational amplifiers are coupled to odd data lines and even data line through a third pair of switches.
US08411004B2

A video processing circuit for a liquid crystal panel, includes: a boundary detecting unit which detects a boundary between a first pixel whose applied voltage specified by an input video signal is below a first voltage and a second pixel whose applied voltage is equal to or higher than a second voltage which is higher than the first voltage; and a correction unit which corrects, for at least two second pixels one of which is adjacent to the boundary detected by the boundary detecting unit on the opposite side of the first pixel and which are successive in a direction opposite to the boundary, an applied voltage to liquid crystal elements corresponding to the second pixels from the applied voltage specified by the video signal to a voltage which is equal to or higher than the first voltage and below the second voltage.
US08411003B2

A liquid crystal display (LCD) and methods of driving same. In one embodiment, the LCD) includes a plurality of gate lines, {Gn}, spatially arranged along a row direction; a plurality of data lines, {Dm}, spatially arranged along a column direction perpendicular to the row direction, and a plurality of pixels, {Pn,m}, spatially arranged in the form of a matrix, where m=1, 2, . . . , M, n=1, 2, . . . , N, and M and N are positive integers. Each pixel Pn,m is defined between two neighboring gate lines Gn and Gn+1 and two neighboring data lines Dm and Dm+1, and comprises a first sub-pixel electrode, a second sub-pixel electrode, a first transistor having a gate electrically coupled to the gate line Gn+1, a source and a drain electrically coupled to the first sub-pixel electrode, a second transistor having a gate electrically coupled to the gate line Gn, a source electrically coupled to the source of the first transistor and a drain electrically coupled to the second sub-pixel electrode, and a third transistor having a gate electrically coupled to the gate line Gn+2, a source electrically coupled to one of the two neighboring data lines Dm and Dm+1 and a drain electrically coupled to the sources of the first and second transistors.
US08410999B2

An organic light emitting display includes pixels coupled to scan lines, first control lines, second control lines, data lines, and first and second power sources. The organic light emitting display further includes a control line driver for providing a first control signal and a second control signal to the pixels through the first control lines and the second control lines, a scan driver for providing scan signals to the pixels through the scan lines, and a data driver for providing data signals to the pixels through data lines. The control line driver simultaneously supplies a first off control signal to the pixels through the first control lines in a first period, simultaneously supplies a reference voltage to the pixels through the first control lines in a second period, and simultaneously supplies a first on control signal to the pixels through the first control lines in a third period.
US08410994B1

A method and system for displaying graphics on a display of a second module remotely connected with a first module via a data communications medium. A first controller for the first module and a second controller for the second module are connected to first and second graphics processors, respectively, both graphics processors being operative to request data from the first module when ready to process data. The first controller interfaces between the first graphics processor and the first module. The second controller interfaces between the second graphics processor and the first module via the data communications medium and the first controller. The first controller duplicates data returned to the first graphics processor by the first module in response to data requests, and transmits the duplicated data to the second controller via the data communications medium. The second controller intercepts data requests made by the second graphics processor, correlates the intercepted requests with the duplicated data received from the first controller and transmits the duplicated data to the second graphics processor on a basis of this correlation. The second graphics processor uses the received duplicated data to generate graphics for display on the display of the second module.
US08410993B2

Display units which can be arranged to form a single arrayed display system, thereby allowing the display of much larger images than can be shown on a single display. Each display unit can include an image display, a communication mechanism, such as a network interface card or wireless interface card, and an image display module, such as a video card and an image processor. Each display module can be configured to selectively process and display portions of large digital images.
US08410976B2

An object ranging system operates by transmitting pulses derived from a frequency-swept signal and determining the beat frequency of a combination of the frequency-swept signal and its reflection from an object. A second (or higher) order harmonic is derived from the combination signal. Accordingly, determination of the beat frequency, and hence object range, is significantly enhanced. The frequency sweep is such that frequency changes occur at a substantially higher rate at the beginning of each the pulse repetition interval than at the end. Accordingly, because the frequency changes are concentrated in the period of pulse transmission, even reflections 'from a close object, where the time delay between the source signal and the reflection is very short, will cause a high beat frequency.
US08410967B2

An analog-to-digital converter includes a comparator configured to receive a first input signal and a second input signal, in which at least one of the input signals is received between two transistors, each of the transistors being in common-gate configuration. A method for comparing input signals performed by a comparator circuit includes: receiving a first input signal between a drain terminal of a first transistor of the comparator circuit and a source terminal of a second transistor of the comparator circuit; receiving a second input signal; and outputting a value based on a comparison of the first input signal and the second input signal.
US08410955B2

A module with a radio transceiver device, an actuator, and an activation device. Also disclosed is a system comprising such a module and a central unit, and a method with such a module and a central unit and the activation device with the radio transceiver device. The radio transceiver device is coupled with the actuator and with an electrical energy source, and the activation device is constructed to feed electrical energy from the electrical energy source to the radio transceiver device and the actuator.
US08410952B2

Sensor modules (12) including accelerometers (20) are placed on a physical structure (10) and tri-axial accelerometer data is converted to mechanical power (P) data (41) which then processed to provide a forewarning (57) of a critical event concerning the physical structure (10). The forewarning is based on a number of occurrences of a composite measure of dissimilarity (Ci) exceeding a forewarning threshold over a defined sampling time; and a forewarning signal (58) is provided to a human observer through a visual, audible or tangible signal. A forewarning of a structural failure can also be provided based on a number of occurrences of (Ci) above a failure value threshold.
US08410946B2

A system includes a controller configured to receive a signal from a thermal radiation sensor indicative of a temperature of a region including at least one fluid passage. The controller is also configured to detect a leak within the at least one fluid passage based on the signal.
US08410938B2

An RFID tag includes a first antenna on which an IC chip is mounted and a second antenna extending from an end of the first antenna in a direction at right angles to the first antenna. The first antenna has an arbitrarily electrical length and the second antenna has an electrical length of λ/2 or an integral multiple of λ/2. A resin base film having a thickness of approximately 50 μm is disposed on the back side of the first antenna and the second antenna. With this configuration of a tag antenna, the second antenna resonates with the first antenna to exhibit a radio wave amplifying effect. Therefore, a long communication distance can be achieved even if the electrical length of the first antenna is chosen to be short or the thickness of the base film is chosen to be thin.
US08410934B2

A warning system includes a monitoring device and a controlled device, wherein the controlled device includes a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, a phase analyzer and a warning indicator. The wireless transmitter can transmit a detection signal, and then the controlled device responses to the detection signal and transmits a feedback signal. The wireless receiver can receive the feedback signal. The phase analyzer can analyze a phase difference between the detection signal and the feedback signal. The warning indicator can perform a warning action when the phase difference is greater than a preset value. Moreover, a method for monitoring a controlled device is disclosed in specification.
US08410932B2

A capacitive sensor array including a sensor electrode which detects the intrusion of an object, a shield electrode and a background electrode. A control and evaluation circuit is coupled to the sensor electrode which detects a change in the capacitance of the sensor electrode. The sensor electrode periodically evaluates at least one of a current and voltage profile to detect the capacitance change. The shield electrode is coupled to the sensor electrode through the control and evaluation circuit such that it has no influence on the measured capacitance. The background electrode is controlled such that its potential is periodically switched between the reference potential and a second potential. When the sensor electrode is coupled with the first potential, the background electrode may be located on the reference potential. When the sensor electrode is not coupled with the first potential, the background electrode may be located on the second potential.
US08410931B2

Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to mobile inventory unit monitoring systems and methods. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a mobile inventory unit monitoring system comprising a computer configured to execute at least one computer program, at least one wireless transmitter located proximate to a mobile inventory unit, a plurality of radio-frequency transceivers dispersed geographically at defined locations, and a gateway connected to a wide area network. Select information can be transmitted from the transmitter proximate to the mobile inventory unit, through a transceiver in the plurality of transceivers, through the gateway, and to the wide area network. Other aspects, features, and embodiments are also claimed and described.
US08410930B2

A control circuit, upon detecting a condition of interest, automatically forwards information regarding a recently-captured image to a predetermined recipient. Upon then later receiving an instruction (which instruction was prompted at least on behalf of the predetermined recipient), the control circuit then wirelessly transmits a movable barrier remote control signal to a corresponding barrier movement controller.
US08410924B2

A low-cost and non-invasive method for remote monitoring deformations of a structure (2), which method envisages to couple at least two RFID tags (3) to the structure (2) in its respective points (10a, 10b, 10a-10c), to interrogate at radio frequency the RFID tags (3) so that a resultant electromagnetic field is produced at a certain distance (DINF) from the structure (2), the resultant electromagnetic field ensuing from a combination of the electromagnetic fields produced individually by each RFID tags (3) in response to the interrogation, to measure the resultant electromagnetic field at such a distance (DINF) from the structure (2) for obtaining measurements of the resultant electromagnetic field, and to determine the deformations of the structure (2) as a function of the measurements of the resultant electromagnetic field.
US08410915B2

A portable telephone device (10) includes: a noncontact IC card communication unit (30) that performs a noncontact IC card communication; a vibration alert unit (22) that notifies the user by vibration that the noncontact IC card communication unit (30) is performing the noncontact IC card communication; and an IC card vibration alert control unit (44) that performs the control to regulate the vibration of the vibration alert unit (22) so that the vibration of the vibration alert unit (22) does not affect the communication state of the noncontact IC card communication unit (30).
US08410914B2

Methods, devices, and computer program products for providing ambient noise sensitive alerting. The methods comprise receiving ambient noise, converting the ambient noise to an electrical signal, detecting a parameter of the electrical signal which is indicative of ambient noise, sensing an incoming call or message, and controlling the volume of an audible alert in response to the detected parameter of the electrical signal.
US08410913B2

Apparatuses and methods enhance depth perception, e.g., the depth perception of a human being using an apparatus worn on the user's head.
US08410903B2

A personal authentication apparatus comprises an input unit configured to input image data; a face detection unit configured to detect a face region of a person included in the image data input by the input unit, and to detect feature data from the detected face region; a facial expression determination unit configured to determine a facial expression from the face region detected by the face detection unit; a storage unit configured to store feature data used to authenticate a person in correspondence with respective facial expressions of a plurality of faces; a selection unit configured to select feature data corresponding to the facial expression determined by the facial expression determination unit from the storage unit; and an authentication unit configured to authenticate a person by comparing the feature data of the detected face region, and the feature data selected by the selection unit.
US08410900B2

Techniques for processing an incoming message from premises equipment at a monitoring location. In one embodiment, an event message, including digits with varying amplitudes, is generated at a premises (such as a home, office, factory, etc.) in response to an event at the premises. A communication channel is established between the premises equipment and the monitoring location and the event message is sent from the premises equipment to the monitoring location. The entire event message is evaluated based on the number of digits received compared to expected receiving parameters defined in a communication protocol. A number of possible interpretations of the event message is determined. One or more possible interpretations of the event message are eliminated based on the number of digits in each of the possible interpretations to create a subset of possible interpretations. Receipt of the event message is determined by selecting one possible interpretation from the subset of possible interpretations based upon the number of digits received by the monitoring location within a predetermined protocol time.
US08410899B2

A keyless entry system for an automobile is described. The keyless entry system comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that has been programmed to selectively unlock an automobile when the RFID tag is within a predetermined distance and, optionally, to lock the automobile when the RFID is outside the predetermined distance. An interrogator housed on or within the automobile comprises an actuatable RF signal generator for transmitting an electromagnetic signal and a time-out circuit. Regardless whether the programmed RFID tag is detected, or not, the RF signal generator transmits a first electromagnetic signal having a first limited total continuous transmit time, followed by an interim period of a defined length where the time-out circuit renders the interrogator incapable of transmitting the electromagnetic signal, followed by the RF signal generator transmitting a second electromagnetic signal having a second limited total continuous transmit time.
US08410893B2

A first short-circuit layer and a second short-circuit layer are electrically connected to and integrally stacked onto only a first magnetoresistance effect element layer and a first resistance element layer, respectively, so as to achieve short-circuiting, and thereby adjusting electrical resistances of the first magnetoresistance effect element layer and the first resistance element layer.
US08410884B2

A three phase compact high short circuit current reactor also commonly known as an inductor is disclosed which can be easily be modified during initial construction to provide predefined gaps between the internal core sections for enhancing performance for each individual customized application. Inductor core sections are commonly oriented horizontally. The present design provides a core construction which includes multiple vertically stacked coils with yokes positioned between adjacent coils for facilitating flux cancellation to enhance performance. The coils can be round or square in cross-section and normally are made of either wire or foil usually of copper or aluminum. The material of the core is preferably of a silicon steel material which can be grain-oriented or non-grain-oriented.
US08410880B2

A system for improved magnetization of flexible magnetic sheet material, such as magnetic rubber. More particularly, this invention relates to providing a system for magnetization of pre-printed flexible magnetic sheet material.
US08410875B2

The disclosed concept relates to an overload relay and, more specifically, to an overload relay switch having a reduced number of components and less complex components. The reduced number of components includes the lack of a return spring on the manual actuators. Further, the relay switch member, which was typically a snap switch conducting member structured to change its configuration, is a substantially flat blade. Further, a circuit is used to detect an over-current condition and a solenoid actuates the relay switch assembly, thereby eliminating the need for a mechanical over-current detection and switch actuation device.
US08410873B2

Disclosed are a dielectric resonator having simple configuration applicable to a multiple mode with no electrical signal transmission loss, and a method of controlling a resonance state (coupling mode) in the dielectric resonator. The dielectric resonator includes a cylindrical or polygonal external conductor, and a dielectric resonant element arranged at the substantially center of the external conductor. A notched portion is formed at a part of the dielectric resonant element so as to control the resonance state of the dielectric resonator.
US08410863B2

There is provided a low loss slow wave transmission line that can be miniaturized. A slow wave transmission line of the present invention has a configuration which includes a repeated arrangement of a low impedance line and a high impedance line and in which the high impedance line is longer than the low impedance line in terms of a line length.
US08410839B2

A battery assisted level shifter comprises a pull up transistor pulling up an output when a received input signal is high, a pull down transistor pulling down the output when the received input signal is low, and a battery element to provide voltage offsets. The battery element can be implemented using one or more pull-up transistors for assisting with pulling up the output. The level shifter can be used in class-D amplifiers, DC-DC power converters and interfaces between circuits having different reference voltages.
US08410827B2

A transmitter includes a capacitor from one end of which a charge voltage is derived; a first constant current source to generate a charge current for the capacitor; a second constant current source to generate a discharge current for the capacitor; a charge/discharge controller to perform charge/discharge control of the capacitor based on a logic level of a transmission input signal and a comparison result between the charge voltage and a reference voltage; an output stage to generate the transmission output signal, wherein a slew rate of which is set in response to the charge voltage, and wherein an amplitude of the transmission output signal is set in response to an output side power source voltage; a reference voltage generator to fluctuate the reference voltage depend on the output side power source voltage; and a constant current controller to fluctuate a current value of the charge current and the discharge current depend on the reference voltage.
US08410825B2

A drive unit comprises a first connector, second connector, switching element, and controller. The first connector is configured to be connected with a gate resistor of a voltage-driven element. The second connector is configured to be connected with a driving power source. A first input-output terminal of the switching element is connected to the first connector, and a second input-output terminal thereof is connected to the second connector. The controller is connected to a control terminal of the switching element, and controls a voltage input to the control terminal of the switching element. The controller has an error amplifier, reference power source, and switch. One input terminal of the error amplifier is connected to the reference power source, an other input terminal thereof is connected to the first connector, and an output terminal thereof is connected to the control terminal of the switching element. One end of the switch is connected to the second connector, and an other end thereof is connected to the control terminal of the switching element.
US08410824B2

Techniques for designing a buffer capable of working with low supply voltages, and having active output impedance matching capability to optimize power delivery to a wide range of loads. In an exemplary embodiment, cascode transistors are provided in a buffer architecture employing common-source transistors having unequal width-to-length ratios (W/L) and a resistance having a corresponding fixed ratio to the load. At least one of the cascode transistors may be dynamically biased to minimize a difference between the drain voltages of the common-source transistors. In a further exemplary embodiment, the output impedance of the buffer may be actively tuned by selectively enabling a set of tuning transistors coupled in parallel with the load. Further techniques for providing a calibration mode and an operation mode are described.
US08410822B2

A comparator-based buffer method and system enhance the driving capability of high-gain amplifiers with switched-capacitor loads. It includes a current source, a comparator, switches, sampling capacitor and overshoot correction resistor. A correction solution using a resistor in the charging path and a correction phase reduces the overshoot of the output voltage while constraining power consumption and minimizing components. Spectre® simulations verify the effectiveness of the invention.
US08410818B1

A high-speed bus interface with an adaptive swing driver. A high speed interface includes a transmitter and a receiver coupled via a bus. The transmitter has an adaptive swing driver and a voltage-regulating-module (VRM). The adaptive swing driver includes a post-driver and a pre-driver. The post-driver provides an adaptive swing output with a dedicated adaptive voltage power supply (VDDQ) and transition emphasis driving capacity with an internal logic voltage supply (VDD). The pre-driver provides the transition emphasis driving capacity with a pull-up and a pull-down signal path to the post-driver. The voltage-regulating-module is configured to supply signal to the adaptive swing driver. The receiver includes a comparator and a bit-error-rate detector. The comparator amplifies the adaptive swing output received from the transmitter via a bus, while the bit-error-rate detector diagnoses the amplified adaptive swing output received from the comparator.
US08410816B1

A low-swing receiver includes a sense amplifier including a first transistor having a source connected with a first voltage supply and a gate for receiving a control signal, and a second transistor having a source connected with a second voltage supply, a drain connected to a drain of the first transistor, and a gate coupled to a second control signal via a capacitive element. A switching circuit is operative to selectively couple an input signal supplied to the sense amplifier with the gate of the second transistor as a function of a signal generated at an output of the sense amplifier. The sense amplifier is operative in a first mode to store charge in the capacitive element, and is operative in a second mode to impart a voltage on the gate of the second transistor which is indicative of the charge stored in the capacitive element.
US08410807B2

A probe apparatus includes a wire substrate with terminals; a wafer tray forming a hermetically sealed space with the wire substrate and for mounting a semiconductor wafer; a probe wafer provided between the wire substrate and the wafer tray, having an apparatus connection terminal electrically connected to a terminal of the wire substrate and wafer connection terminals electrically connected to the semiconductor chips respectively and collectively; an apparatus anisotropic conductive sheet provided between the wire substrate and the probe wafer; a wafer anisotropic conductive sheet provided between the probe wafer and the semiconductor wafer; and a decompressing section that decompresses the hermetically sealed space between the wire substrate and the wafer tray, to cause the wafer tray to move to a predetermined position from the wire substrate, to electrically connect the wire substrate and the probe wafer, and to electrically connect the probe wafer and the semiconductor wafer.
US08410784B1

A device senses a static charge resulting from the impingement of particles on a surface, such as an aircraft's outer skin. The device includes a sensor adapted to be installed on the surface and a corona guard for guarding against corona discharge from the sensor.
US08410781B1

Systems and methods which employ a high temperature superconductor (HTS) receiver coil configuration for MRI analysis of small volume subjects, such as infants, are shown. Embodiments provide a HTS tape RF phase array receiver coil implementation. The foregoing HTS tape receiver coil implementation may be provided in a Helmholtz coil configuration. With such a Helmholtz coil configuration, circuitry is preferably provided to provide tuning, matching, and/or decoupling with respect to the HTS receiver coils. Embodiments implement a cryostat configuration to maintain one or more HTS receiver coils at a desired operating temperature (e.g., ≦77° K) while providing a safe environment for a subject (e.g., infant) being imaged.
US08410775B2

A base station (e.g., a central device including a transducer assembly of one or more orthogonal transducers) transmits a magnetic field at a known power level and direction. The magnetic field signal includes data information transmitted from the base station to a movable remote station. The remote station includes a transducer assembly of one or multiple transducer coils to receive the magnetic field generated by the base station. Location and orientation of the remote station (with respect to the base station) are determined based on the magnitude, amplitude, and/or phase of magnetic field signals received on each of the remote station's transducers. The remote station may transmit the location and orientation information (e.g., raw measured data or converted data) to the base station using the same coils as used by the remote station to receive the magnetic field generated by the base station.
US08410772B1

A bias circuit generates a bias voltage. The bias circuit includes a first, a second, and a third detection circuit and a summing circuit. The first detection circuit generates a first characterization voltage that represents a variation of a power supply voltage from a nominal voltage. The first characterization voltage increases as the power supply voltage decreases and the first characterization voltage decreases as the power supply voltage increases. The second detection circuit generates a second characterization voltage that represents a threshold voltage of one or more p-type transistors. The third detection circuit generates a third characterization voltage that represents a threshold voltage of one or more n-type transistors. The summing circuit generates the bias voltage that is the power supply voltage reduced by a weighted sum of the first, second, and third characterization voltages.
US08410771B2

A spectrum detection method, system and base station are provided, which relate to the field of communications technology, and improve the spectrum utilization in a cellular multi-hop network. The spectrum detection method includes: receiving an intermediate spectrum detection result sent by each node; and integrating the intermediate spectrum detection results to obtain a final spectrum detection result. The spectrum detection method, system, and base station are mainly applied to cellular multi-hop networks.
US08410769B2

A power converter and method of controlling the same for selected modes of operation. In one embodiment, the power converter includes a first power switch coupled to a source of electrical power and a second power switch coupled to the first power switch and to an output terminal of the power converter. The power converter also includes a controller configured to control an operation of the first and second power switches during selected modes of operation.
US08410767B2

A DC-DC converter or the like capable of generating a stable output voltage is provided. A control circuit 11 of a current mode step-down DC-DC converter 1 includes a slope compensation circuit SC and an offset circuit IF1. The slope compensation circuit SC adds an increase gradient m2 due to slope compensation to an increase gradient of a coil current waveform Vsense in a range wherein an ON period Ton of a switch SW1 exceeds ½ of an operating cycle T. An offset circuit IF1 applies an offset voltage Voffset which becomes smaller depending on the ON period Ton in excess of ½ of an operating cycle T, to a coil current waveform Vsense.
US08410765B2

A pulse modulation method for adjusting pulse signals according to a working voltage of a load, the method includes the following steps. The working voltage of the load is detected by a feedback terminal of a PWM controller. Whether the load is a light load or a heavy load is determined, if the load is a light load, a pulse skipping mode is entered; the voltage output to the load is detected by the feedback terminal. Whether the voltage output to the load is normal is determined, if the voltage output to the load is low, the pulse skipping mode is stayed for a number of clock cycles; the voltage output to the load is detected to determine whether the voltage is normal. If the voltage output to the load is still low, the pulse skipping mode is jumped out and a normal working mode is entered.
US08410753B2

A hand-held device has a rechargeable battery, with contacts connected to the battery, and a ferromagnetic body. A charger has contacts complementary to and engageable with the contacts of the device and a magnet capable of attracting the ferromagnetic body of the device and holding the device in a charging position with the contacts of the device engaging the contacts of the charger.
US08410743B2

A pulse generating device includes a rotatable disc having a plurality of patterns that are formed on a surface of the rotatable disc in a circumferential direction of the rotatable disc, and three pulse generators to each detect the plurality of patterns formed on the rotatable disc and to respectively generate three pulse signals each corresponding to a rotational speed of the rotatable disc based on the detected patterns. The three pulse generators are evenly spaced at intervals of 120 degrees of angle with respect to a rotational axis of the rotatable disc in the circumferential direction of the rotatable disc.
US08410741B2

A servo motor control apparatus has a feedback loop. When an oscillation detection signal indicates no detection of oscillation, a parameter operating section gives an updating section an operational instruction to set a control parameter in accordance with a supplied set value. When the oscillation detection signal indicates detection of oscillation, the parameter operating section gives the updating section an operational instruction to set such a control parameter as to narrow a frequency band width of the feedback loop.
US08410738B2

Multiple pads are provided to a semiconductor chip of a semiconductor device. A first pad is arranged on a path for a first signal set to a voltage that corresponds to a first level in the active state. The first signal is input to the semiconductor chip from outside the semiconductor device, or is output to outside the semiconductor device from the semiconductor chip. A second pad is provided in order to receive a setting voltage. A first pin is connected to a first pad via a connection member, and receives the first signal from outside the semiconductor device, or from the semiconductor chip via the first pad. A second pin receives, from outside, a second signal set to a voltage that corresponds to the first level or a second level which is the complement of the first level.
US08410733B2

A hybrid synchronous motor drive circuit and method operates in one or two or more modes based on the speed of the synchronous machine. In a first mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively low frequency by a current controlled voltage source inverter (VSI). In a second mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively high frequency by a load commutated inverter (LCI) in tandem with the VSI. In the second mode, the LCI acts as the main power source for controlling the machine and determining machine torque and speed. The VSI acts as a harmonic compensator by compensating the dominant harmonic currents fed to the machine from the LCI such that the synchronous machine will see sinusoidal currents and thereby sinusoidal voltages at its terminals. The VSI also functions to provide sufficient reactive power at fundamental frequency so that the thyristors in the inverter are load commutated.
US08410732B2

A programmable robot system includes a robot provided with a number of individual arm sections, where adjacent sections are interconnected by a joint. The system furthermore includes a controllable drive mechanism provided in at least some of the joints and a control system for controlling the drive. The robot system is furthermore provided with user a interface mechanism including a mechanism for programming the robot system, the user interface mechanism being either provided externally to the robot, as an integral part of the robot or as a combination hereof, and a storage mechanism co-operating with the user interface mechanism and the control system for storing information related to the movement and further operations of the robot and optionally for storing information relating to the surroundings.
US08410731B2

Linear actuator (1) comprising an electric motor connected to a spindle via a transmission, on said spindle is mounted a spindle nut secured to an activation element (2), said activation element (2) being equipped with a front attachment (3). The actuator (1) is further furnished with a rear attachment (4), which is axially displaceable between defined stops. The rear attachment (4) activates a switch (7) in at least one of the displaceable positions of the rear attachment (4).
US08410728B2

A method of, and a device for controlling a shed lighting, and a shed provided therewith. To support daylight, lamps are switched on, but only in the case when the measured intensity is too low and, moreover, the time in which the daylight intensity could become sufficient is too short to achieve a desired period of time with a minimum light intensity. This saves energy and service life of lamps.
US08410727B2

It is provided an LED lighting device calibratable to 0 to 100% of wide range about a chromaticity and luminance of a illumination light by a simple configuration, and a driving method for the LED lighting device. The LED lighting device is provided with a first light-emitting unit and a second light-emitting unit differing a color temperature mutually, and a control circuit for executing a cyclic light/quench control of the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit, and for executing a light control of the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit by a PNM (Pulse Number Modulation) control in a fixed cycle so as to have a lighting period Ton for lighting/quenching the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit complementarily, and a quenching period Toff for quenching both the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit.
US08410722B2

In an illumination system (1) having a control unit (2) and at least one de-central lamp operating device (12, 22) for operating one or more associated lamps (LA), the lamp operating device (12, 22) can be operated in different operational modes. In accordance with the invention the central control unit (2) and the lamp operating device (12, 22) are so configured that the selection and setting of an operational mode for the lamp operating device (12, 22) can be carried out from or via the central control unit (2).
US08410721B2

An electronic ballast for operating at least one discharge lamp may include an input for coupling to an input voltage; a load circuit with an output, the load circuit having a bridge circuit; an intermediate circuit capacitor that is coupled to the input of the load circuit; a transformer that is coupled between the input of the ballast and the capacitor, the transformer having a transformer switch; a control apparatus for driving the switch; and a monitoring apparatus for monitoring at least one value correlated with the input voltage, the control apparatus being designed to deactivate the driving of the switch upon detection of a deactivation criterion; and a voltage measuring apparatus for measuring the intermediate circuit voltage, the control apparatus being designed to reactivate the driving of the switch after a deactivation phase when the sum of input and intermediate circuit voltage has dropped below a prescribable threshold value.
US08410709B2

A circuit board of a parallel light-emitting circuit of parallel LED light-emitting device has an electrical insulation board, two wire patterns and at least two power wires. The two wire patterns are oppositely formed on the electrical insulation board. Each wire pattern is connected to the corresponding power wire and has a matrix main loop having closed loops and a plurality of sub-wires formed inside the corresponding closed loop. A plurality of LEDs are respectively mounted on the corresponding closed loop and electrically connect with the two sub-wires of the two wire patterns. When a DC power supply is inputted to the power wires, a current of the DC power supply uniformly flows through the matrix main loop and the sub-wires, so that the LEDs electrically connected to the corresponding sub-wires receive approximately equal current to further emit light with uniform brightness.
US08410704B1

Ionization devices that have at least two modes of ionization, and that can switch between these two modes of operation, are described. Illustratively, the ionization devices can switch between a photoionization (PI) mode and a combined mode of electroionization (EI) and PI (EI/PI mode).
US08410694B2

To provide a plasma display panel that can improve the bright room contrast.The PDP of the present invention provided with a discharge space formed between a front-side substrate assembly and a rear-side substrate assembly, wherein the front-side substrate assembly has a plurality of display electrodes for defining lines of a screen, and the rear-side substrate assembly has a plurality of barrier ribs for partitioning the discharge space in a column direction, and a phosphor layer that is applied to side surfaces and a bottom surface of each of grooves formed between the barrier ribs, the plasma display panel is characterized in that each of the display electrodes for defining the lines comprises a belt-like base portion that extends over an entire length of the screen in a line direction, and a plurality of projections that projects from the base portion toward another display electrode adjacent thereto, each projection having a width the same as or narrower than a width of a bottom of the phosphor layer, and having a visible light transmittance ranging from 0% to 80% inclusive.
US08410691B2

An organic EL device includes a substrate; an organic EL element formed on the substrate; and a sealing film formed on the organic EL element that is a CVD-deposited silicon nitride film containing from 0.85 at % to 0.95 at % H. A method of manufacturing the organic EL device includes the steps of: forming an organic EL element on a substrate; and forming a sealing film on the organic EL element in a process including mixing SiH4, NH3, N2, and H2, during which the H2 is introduced at a flow rate set to from 1 volume percent to 5 volume percent of that of the N2, so that a silicon nitride film containing hydrogen atoms or hydrogen molecules is formed.
US08410690B2

Systems and methods for providing MEMS devices with integrated desiccant are provided. In one embodiment, a dry composition comprising desiccant is impact sprayed onto the backplate or substrate of a MEMS device, and becomes fused with the substrate. In another embodiment, the desiccant is impact sprayed such that the desiccant adheres to the impact sprayed surface. In yet another embodiment, the impact-sprayed surface is impregnated with the desiccant. In still another embodiment, the desiccant is combined with a suitable inorganic binder, then impact sprayed such that the desiccant adheres to the impact sprayed surface. In yet a further embodiment, the desiccant is micronized or pulverized into a powder of desired particle size, and then impact sprayed onto a surface. Thus, the desiccant particles or powder are fused onto the target surface through the impact spraying process.
US08410687B2

An emitting device in an organic electroluminescent device is disclosed, in which a lower electrode pattern is formed on a substrate, an emitting layer pattern is formed on the lower electrode pattern, and a transparent electrode is formed on the emitting layer pattern and an emitting body having a structure in which an organic thin film emits light when an application current is applied to it. The pattern of the transparent electrode completely covers and is larger than that of the lower electrode. The pattern of the transparent electrode is formed over the entire area of the pattern of the lower electrode.
US08410686B2

Disclosed herein is a display device provided with: (A) a plurality of light-emitting devices comprising a first electrode, an organic layer including a light-emitting layer and a second electrode configured to resonate light, which is generated in the light-emitting layer, between a first interface defined by an interface between the first electrode and the organic layer and a second interface defined by an interface between the second electrode and the organic layer, and (B) a transparent upper substrate having a first side facing the second electrode and a second side located on an opposite side of the first side, and fixed above the second electrode.
US08410680B2

A multi-chip lighting emitting device (LED) lamp for providing white light includes a submount including first and second die mounting regions thereon. A first LED chip is mounted on the first die mounting region, and a second LED chip is mounted on the second die mounting region. The LED lamp is configured to emit light having a spectral distribution including at least four different color peaks to provide the white light. For example, a first conversion material may at least partially cover the first LED chip, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first color and re-emit light of a third color. In addition, a second conversion material may at least partially cover the first and/or second LED chips, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first and/or second colors and re-emit light of a fourth color. Related light fixtures and methods are also disclosed.
US08410677B2

The present invention provides a blue phosphor having high luminance and showing less luminance degradation during driving of a light-emitting device. The present invention is a blue phosphor that includes: an alkaline earth metal aluminate represented by a general formula aBaO.bSrO.(1−a−b)EuO.cMgO.dAlO3/2, where 0.70≦a≦0.95, 0≦b≦0.15, 0.95≦c≦1.15, 9.00≦d≦11.00, and a+b≦0.97 are satisfied; and 0.008 mol to 0.800 mol of MWO4 with respect to 1 mol of the aluminate, where M is at least one element selected from a group consisting of Ba, Sr, and Ca.
US08410671B2

An ultrasonic actuator includes an actuator body configured by alternately stacking piezoelectric layers, and a positive and a negative electrode layers. The positive electrode layer includes a first through a fourth positive split electrodes and a positive diagonal-connection electrode connecting together the first and the third positive split electrodes. The second and the fourth positive split electrodes are connected together outside the positive electrode layer. The negative electrode layer includes a first through a fourth negative split electrodes and a negative diagonal-connection electrode connecting together the first and the third negative split electrodes. The second and the fourth negative split electrodes are connected together outside the negative electrode layer.
US08410670B2

A laminate includes a ceramic substrate, a piezoelectric element, and an intermediate layer. The piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode. The intermediate layer is formed between the substrate and the lower electrode of the piezoelectric element. The intermediate layer contains a metal or an oxide thereof as a main component. The metal is different from a metal contained in the lower electrode. The intermediate layer further contains holes.
US08410660B2

A photostructurable ceramic is processed using photostructuring process steps for embedding devices within a photostructurable ceramic volume, the devices may include one or more of chemical, mechanical, electronic, electromagnetic, optical, and acoustic devices, all made in part by creating device material within the ceramic or by disposing a device material through surface ports of the ceramic volume, with the devices being interconnected using internal connections and surface interfaces.
US08410659B2

An electromechanical transducer includes a vibration membrane provided with a first electrode, a substrate provided with a second electrode, and a support member adapted to support the vibration membrane in such a manner that a gap is formed between the vibration membrane and the substrate, with the first and second electrodes being arranged in opposition to each other, wherein a part of the vibration membrane and a part of the substrate are in contact with each other at a contact region, and another region of the vibration membrane other than the contact region is able to vibrate; an overlap region is provided between the first electrode and second electrode in the contact region, and at least one of these electrodes has a through portion formed therethrough in at least a part of the overlap region, and a plurality of protrusions formed within the gap and on at least one of the vibration member and the support member, wherein the contact region is surrounded by the plurality of protrusions.
US08410654B2

A motor comprises a stator having a plurality of magnetic poles disposed at first predetermined intervals along an outer periphery thereof, and a rotor having a permanent magnet with poles magnetized alternately to have different polarities at second predetermined intervals and disposed rotatably around the outer periphery of the stator with a predetermined gap. The magnetic poles of the stator has extended portions formed in a manner to extend from magnetic polar bases into a direction generally parallel to the permanent magnet, and the extended portions are formed of a high-permeability magnetic steel sheet with silicon content less than 3.0 wt-%.
US08410653B1

A system for mounting an electrical element and supplying it with a source of electrical power comprises a magnetic circuit base having first and second spaced magnetic elements having an electrical insulator there between. Each of said magnetic elements is electrically connected to a lead of said power source and an element mount comprising first and second electrically conductive mounting portions having an electrical insulator there between. Each of said mounting portions have an electrical lead secured thereto for supplying power to the electrical element, wherein a first mounting portion is electrically connected to the first magnetic element and a second mounting portion is electrically connected to a second magnetic element.
US08410650B2

A hydrodynamic bearing assembly includes a sleeve rotatably supporting a shaft, a thrust plate housing portion extending to an upper side of the sleeve in an axial direction so as to house a thrust plate, and a stopper ring housing portion stepped in an upper side of the thrust plate housing portion in the axial direction and housing a stopper ring for fixing the thrust plate. The stopper ring protrudes from the stopper ring housing portion such that an outer circumferential surface of the stopper ring has a larger height than an inner circumferential surface of the stopper ring housing portion.
US08410646B2

A motor damping structure for an actuator device includes a motor housing and a casing. The motor housing includes a drive motor therein. The casing includes an upper actuator case and a lower actuator case to accommodate the motor housing therebetween, the casing including a motor support section formed integrally in at least one of the upper actuator case and the lower actuator case to support the drive motor by contacting an outside surface of the motor housing. The motor support section has an elastic contacting member protruding from the at least one of the upper actuator case and the lower actuator case to contact one of an upper slanted surface and a lower slanted surface of the motor housing.
US08410637B2

A wireless power system includes a wireless power transmit and receive units. The wireless power transmit unit includes a wireless power transmit circuit that generates a wireless power magnetic field and a transmit unit transceiver that transceives a communication regarding the wireless power magnetic field in accordance with a control channel protocol. The wireless power receive unit includes a wireless power receive circuit, a transceiver, and a processing module. The wireless power receive circuit converts the wireless power magnetic field into a voltage. The receive unit processing module is operable to: identify the control channel protocol; determine whether the receive unit transceiver is capable of communication using the control channel protocol; and, when the receive unit transceiver is capable of communication using the control channel protocol, coordinate configuration of the receive unit transceiver to transceive the communication regarding the wireless power magnetic field via the control channel.
US08410618B2

A microelectronic assembly includes a semiconductor chip having chip contacts exposed at a first face and a substrate juxtaposed with a face of the chip. A conductive bond element can electrically connect a first chip contact with a first substrate contact of the substrate, and a second conductive bond element can electrically connect the first chip contact with a second substrate contact. The first bond element can have a first end metallurgically joined to the first chip contact and a second end metallurgically joined to the first substrate contact. A first end of the second bond element can be metallurgically joined to the first bond element. The second bond element may or may not touch the first chip contact or the substrate contact. A third bond element can be joined to ends of first and second bond elements which are joined to substrate contacts or to chip contacts. In one embodiment, a bond element can have a looped connection, having first and second ends joined at a first contact and a middle portion joined to a second contact.
US08410616B2

A surface component film (2) is etched using a resist (3) as a mask, and the surface component film (2) is patterned according to the shape of an aperture (3a). This results in a step portion (4) having the same shape as the aperture (3a), with the sidewall (4a) of the step portion (4) exposed through the aperture (3a). The aperture (3a) is spin-coated with a shrink agent, reacted at a first temperature, and developed to shrink the aperture (3a). To control the shrinkage with high accuracy, in the first round of reaction, the aperture is shrunk by, for example, about half of the desired shrinkage. The aperture (3a) is further spin-coated with a shrink agent, reacted at a second temperature, and developed to shrink the aperture (3a). In this embodiment, the second-round shrink process will result in the desired aperture length. The second temperature is adjusted based on the shrinkage in the first round. With respect to a resist using short-wavelength light (short-wavelength resist) or a resist using electron beam (electron beam resist), a minute aperture can be obtained with stable shrink effect and accurate control of the length thereof.
US08410611B2

Provided are embodiments of semiconductor chips having a redistributed metal interconnection directly connected to power/ground lines of an internal circuit are provided. Embodiments of the semiconductor chips include an internal circuit formed on a semiconductor substrate. A chip pad is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The chip pad is electrically connected to the internal circuit through an internal interconnection. A passivation layer is provided over the chip pad. A redistributed metal interconnection is provided on the passivation layer. The redistributed metal interconnection directly connects the internal interconnection to the chip pad through a via-hole and a chip pad opening, which penetrate at least the passivation layer. Methods of fabricating the semiconductor chip are also provided.
US08410603B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first side and a second side, wherein the lower surface has a slope so that the first side is thicker than the second side, and a circuit pattern including a bonding pad on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08410601B2

An RF package includes a substrate mountable on a base plate, a non-conductive cover overlying the substrate, and quasi-serpentine stepped source leads attached to an upper surface of the substrate and extending from at least one of a pair of opposite sides of the upper surface of the substrate to tapered lower surfaces of the cover. The cover includes a recess to receive the substrate. The recess includes stress distribution surface areas to engage and press outer edge portions of opposite sides of the substrate against a base plate or heat sink. The tapered lower surfaces of the cover engage with and press against the stepped source leads when securing the RF package to the base plate or heat sink using one or more fasteners or bolts. The cover includes structural features to improve preferential deformation when a mounting force is applied.
US08410600B2

Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device including: a source trace, a drain trace, and a gate trace placed on a substrate; a transistor which is placed on the drain trace and includes a source pad and a gate pad; insulating films placed between the drain and source traces and between the drain and gate traces on the substrate so as to cover sidewall surfaces of the transistor; a source spray electrode which is placed on the insulating film between the source and drain traces and connects the source pad of the transistor and the source trace; and a gate spray electrode placed on the insulating film between the gate and drain traces and connects the gate pad of the transistor and the gate trace.
US08410598B2

A semiconductor package is formed having a substrate juxtaposed on at least two sides of a semiconductor die. Both the substrate and the semiconductor die are affixed to a conductive layer that draws heat generated during use of the semiconductor package away from the semiconductor die and the substrate. There are also electrical contacts affixed to the substrate and the semiconductor die. The electrical contacts facilitate electrical connection between the semiconductor die, the substrate, and any external devices or components making use of the semiconductor die. The substrate, semiconductor die, and at least a portion of some of the electrical contacts are enclosed by an encapsulating layer insulating the components. Portions of the electrical contacts not enclosed by the encapsulating layer are affixed to an outside device, such as a printed circuit board.
US08410596B2

A single metal layer tape substrate includes a patterned metal layer affixed to a patterned dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is patterned to provide openings exposing lands and bond sites on bond fingers on the land side of the metal layer. The metal layer is patterned to provide circuit traces as appropriate for interconnection with the die and with other elements. Interconnection with a die is made by wire bonding to exposed traces on a die attach side of the metal layer, and bond fingers and lands for access to testing the package are provided on the land side of the metal layer.
US08410589B2

A pressure loss section H1 (H2) extends from a position corresponding to a corner of a resin package, and S1 is the minimum value of the opening area of the pressure loss section H1 (H2) perpendicular to the direction of resin flow (X axis) in the pressure loss section H1 (H2) during resin molding, while S2 is the average value of the opening areas of excess resin reservoirs H3 to H5 perpendicular to the direction of resin flow (Y axis) within excess resin reservoir H3 to H5 during molding. In this lead frame, S1
US08410581B2

There is provided a silicon device structure, comprising: a P-doped n+ type amorphous silicon film formed on a silicon semiconductor, and a wiring formed on the P doped n+ type amorphous silicon film, wherein the wiring is formed of a silicon oxide film which is formed on a surface of the P doped n+ type amorphous silicon film and is also formed of a copper alloy film, and the copper alloy film is a film obtained by forming a copper alloy containing Mn of 1 atom % or more and 5 atom % or less and P of 0.05 atom % or more and 1.0 atom % or less by sputtering.
US08410572B2

A base contact connection, an emitter structure and a collector structure are arranged on an n-layer, which can be provided for additional npn transistors. The collector structure is arranged laterally to the emitter structure and at least one of the emitter and collector comprises a Schottky contact on a surface area of the n-layer.
US08410566B2

A device includes an input waveguide on a base. The input waveguide guides a light signal through a light-transmitting medium to a light sensor. The light sensor includes a sensor waveguide on the base. The sensor waveguide includes a light-absorbing medium that receives the light signal from the input waveguide. The light-absorbing medium has one or more continuous doped regions that are each positioned such that an application of electrical energy to the doped regions forms an electrical field in the light-absorbing medium. One or more of the doped regions has a first portion that is located within the light-absorbing medium and a second portion located outside of the light-absorbing medium. The device also includes an electrical conductor for applying the electrical energy to one of the doped regions. The electrical conductor contacts the portion of the doped regions that is located outside of the light-absorbing medium.
US08410564B2

A device, and method for manufacturing the same, including a semiconductor package which allows transmission therethrough of a radio signal, a chip which generates the radio signal and a coupler adjacent the chip and effective to radiate the radio signal to outside of the semiconductor package.
US08410560B2

A micro-hotplate is provided in the form of a device comprising a sensor and one or more resistive heaters within the micro-hotplate arranged to heat the sensor. Furthermore a controller is provided for applying a bidirectional drive current to at least one of the heaters to reduce electromigration. The controller also serves to drive the heater at a substantially constant temperature.
US08410557B2

A P type drift layer is formed in an N type epitaxial layer from under a drain layer to under an N type body layer under a source layer through under an element isolation insulation film. This P type drift layer is shallower immediately under the drain layer than under the element isolation insulation film, and gradually shallows from under the element isolation insulation film to the N type body layer to be in contact with the bottom of the N type body layer. Since the P type drift layer is thus diffused in a wide region, a wide current path is formed from the N type body layer to the drain layer, and the current drive ability is enhanced and the drain breakdown voltage is also increased.
US08410556B2

A semiconductor device includes pMISFET and nMIS formed on the semiconductor substrate. The pMISFET includes, on the semiconductor substrate, first source/drain regions, a first gate dielectric formed therebetween, first lower and upper metal layers stacked on the first gate dielectric, a first upper metal layer containing at least one metallic element belonging to groups IIA and IIIA. The nMISFET includes, on the semiconductor substrate, second source/drain regions, second gate dielectric formed therebetween, a second lower and upper metal layers stacked on the second gate dielectric and the second upper metal layer substantially having the same composition as the first upper metal layer. The first lower metal layer is thicker than the second lower metal layer, and the atomic density of the metallic element contained in the first gate dielectric is lower than the atomic density of the metallic element contained in the second gate dielectric.
US08410538B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stacked body, a memory film, and a SiGe film. The stacked body includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers alternately stacked above the substrate. The memory film includes a charge storage film. The memory film is provided on a sidewall of a memory hole punched through the stacked body. The SiGe film is provided inside the memory film in the memory hole.
US08410537B2

The invention enhances program performance by increasing a coupling ratio between an N+ type source layer and a floating gate and reduces a memory cell area. Trenches are formed on the both sides of an N+ type source layer. The sidewalls of the trench includes first and second trench sidewalls that are parallel to end surfaces of two element isolation layers, a third trench sidewall that is perpendicular to the STIs, and a fourth trench sidewall that is not parallel to the third trench sidewall. The N+ type source layer is formed so as to extend from the bottom surface of the trench to the fourth trench sidewall, largely overlapping a floating gate, by performing ion-implantation of arsenic ion or the like in a parallel direction to the third trench sidewall and in a perpendicular direction or at an angle to a P type well layer from above the trench having this structure.
US08410536B2

A process for forming a laminate with capacitance and the laminate formed thereby. The process includes the steps of providing a substrate and laminating a conductive foil on the substrate wherein the foil has a dielectric. A conductive layer is formed on the dielectric. The conductive foil is treated to electrically isolate a region of conductive foil containing the conductive layer from additional conductive foil. A cathodic conductive couple is made between the conductive layer and a cathode trace and an anodic conductive couple is made between the conductive foil and an anode trace.
US08410533B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having at least one surface provided with a semiconductor element, wherein the semiconductor substrate includes a region of a first conductivity type, the region being formed in a surface layer portion of the semiconductor substrate; a first diffusion region of a second conductivity type, the first diffusion region having a first impurity concentration and being formed in the surface layer portion, and a pn junction being formed between the first diffusion region and the region of the first conductivity type; and a first metal silicide film formed on part of a portion of the surface corresponding to the first diffusion region.
US08410523B2

Exemplary embodiments provide high-quality layered semiconductor devices and methods for their fabrication. The high-quality layered semiconductor device can be formed in planar with low defect densities and with strain relieved through a plurality of arrays of misfit dislocations formed at the interface of highly lattice-mismatched layers of the device. The high-quality layered semiconductor device can be formed using various materials systems and can be incorporated into various opto-electronic and electronic devices. In an exemplary embodiment, an emitter device can include monolithic quantum well (QW) lasers directly disposed on a SOI or silicon substrate for waveguide coupled integration. In another exemplary embodiment, a superlattice (SL) photodetector and its focal plane array can include a III-Sb active region formed over a large GaAs substrate using SLS technologies.
US08410521B2

Provided is a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device comprises a substrate, a first semiconductor layer on substrate, an air-gap part disposed in at least portion between the substrate and the first semiconductor layer, and a plurality of compound semiconductor layers comprising a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer.
US08410517B2

Provided is a light emitting diode (hereinafter, referred to as an LED) coating method, and more particularly, an LED coating method that can be used to coat a phosphor, a molding, etc., on an LED.The LED coating method includes (a) preparing a substrate and a plurality of LEDs arranged on the substrate; (b) applying a photoresist onto the substrate and the plurality of LEDs; and (c) selectively exposing the photoresist to light to form a first coating on surfaces of the plurality of LEDs. Here, the first coating is formed by curing the photoresist.
US08410511B2

High temperature semiconducting materials in a freestanding epitaxial chip enables the use of high temperature interconnect and bonding materials. Process materials can be used which cure, fire, braze, or melt at temperatures greater than 400 degrees C. These include, but are not limited to, brazing alloys, laser welding, high-temperature ceramics and glasses. High temperature interconnect and bonding materials can additionally exhibit an index of refraction intermediate to that of the freestanding epitaxial chip and its surrounding matrix. High index, low melting point glasses provide a hermetic seal of the semiconductor device and also index match the freestanding epitaxial chip thereby increasing extraction efficiency. In this manner, a variety of organic free semiconducting devices, such as solid-sate lighting sources, can be created which exhibit superior life, efficiency, and environmental stability.
US08410502B2

A light-emitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a light-emitting element, and a package substrate on which this light-emitting element is placed. This package substrate includes a placement face on which the light-emitting element is placed, a back face that is opposed to the placement face, and a mounting face that is opposed, between the placement face and the back face, to a mounting substrate when the light-emitting device is mounted, and includes a first recess portion that extends, on the mounting face, from the back face toward the placement face and that has a first heat conduction member formed on the surface thereof, and an intermediate heat conduction member for conducting heat between the light-emitting element and the first heat conduction member.
US08410499B2

An LED having a p-type layer of material with an associated p-contact, an n-type layer of material with an associated n-contact and an active region between the p-type layer and the n-type layer, includes a confinement structure that is formed within one of the p-type layer of material and the n-type layer of material. The confinement structure is generally aligned with the contact on the top and primary emission surface of the LED and substantially prevents the emission of light from the area of the active region that is coincident with the area of the confinement structure and the top-surface contact. The LED may include a roughened emitting-side surface to further enhance light extraction.
US08410474B2

A substrate having a graphene film grown thereon according to the present invention includes: a base substrate; a patterned aluminum oxide film formed on the base substrate, the patterned aluminum oxide film having an average composition of Al2−xO3+x (where x is 0 or more); and a graphene film preferentially grown only on the patterned aluminum oxide film, the graphene film having one or more graphene atomic layers, the graphene film growing parallel to a surface of the patterned aluminum oxide film, the graphene film having an electrical conductivity of 1×104 S/cm or more measured by a four-probe resistive method using an inter-voltage-probe distance of 0.2 mm.
US08410470B2

Disclosed is an ultraviolet fluorescent material having high light emission efficiency, wherein the peak wavelength of ultraviolet light to be emitted can be controlled by having a quantum dot structure wherein a fine crystal of zinc oxide having an average diameter of 1-10 nm serves as a core, and the surface of the zinc oxide fine crystal is covered with at least one of LiGaO2, LiAlO2, NaGaO2 and NaAlO2, which has a crystal structure similar to that of the zinc oxide and low lattice mismatch and hardly suffers from structural defects, or a solid solution thereof.
US08410469B2

A nonvolatile nanoionic switch is disclosed. A thin layer of chalcogenide glass engages a substrate and a metal selected from the group of silver and copper photo-dissolved in the chalcogenide glass. A first oxidizable electrode and a second inert electrode engage the chalcogenide glass and are spaced apart from each other forming a gap therebetween. A direct current voltage source is applied with positive polarity applied to the oxidizable electrode and negative polarity applied to the inert electrode which electrodeposits silver or copper across the gap closing the switch. Reversing the polarity of the switch dissolves the electrodeposited metal and returns it to the oxidizable electrode. A capacitor arrangement may be formed with the same structure and process.
US08410462B2

An optoelectronic apparatus for transmission of an electrical signal via, galvanically isolated by means of a one-piece, translucent, plastic body, an input current circuit. At least one optical transmission element, and an output current circuit, having at least one optical receiving element, wherein the optical transmission element has a principle transmission axis and the optical receiving element a principle receiving axis, which are oriented so as to concide with a shared optical axis. The plastic body has two cavities separated via a partition for accommodating, respectively, the optical transmission element and the optical receiving element, wherein the transmitting element and/or the receiving element are/is placed through the openings so far into the cavities of the plastic body, that, following a case of overvoltage on the transmitting element and/or the receiving element, an insulating air distance and creep path according to an insulation coordination is still present along outer surfaces of the plastic body.
US08410458B2

The invention relates to an optical filter material made of doped quartz glass, which at a low dopant concentration exhibits spectral transmission as high as possible of at least 80% cm−1 for operating radiation of 254 nm, transmission as low as possible in the wave range below approximately 250 nm, and an edge wavelength λc within the wave range of 230 to 250 nm. It was found that this aim is achieved by doping comprising a gallium compound, which in the wave range below 250 nm has a maximum of an absorption band and thus determines the edge wave range λc.
US08410453B2

Disclosed herein is an ultraviolet sterilizer having a vibration-proof function. The ultraviolet sterilizer includes an ultraviolet sterilization unit. The ultraviolet sterilization unit has an inlet through which ballast water is drawn thereinto, an outlet through which the ballast water is discharged therefrom, and an ultraviolet lamp located between the inlet and the outlet. The ultraviolet lamp applies ultraviolet rays to the ballast water. The ultraviolet sterilizer further includes a cap which supports each of the opposite ends of the ultraviolet sterilization unit, and a shock absorption unit which is elastically compressed at a first end thereof by the cap while a second end thereof compresses an end of the ultraviolet lamp. Thereby, even if the ultraviolet sterilization unit vibrates, the sleeve pipe or the ultraviolet lamp can be prevented from being damaged, and explosive gas which may cause the ultraviolet sterilizer to explode is also prevented from entering the cap.
US08410447B2

In a particle radiotherapy apparatus which has a passage for allowing movement of a particle beam, this invention provides a particle radiotherapy apparatus with high sensitivity for detection of annihilation radiation pairs even if there is a difference between a point where the particle beam loses energy and a position of a detector ring in a body axis direction of a patient. For the purpose of solving such a problem, the particle radiotherapy apparatus according to this invention includes an elliptic detector ring which is vertically long and is reversibly tiltable. Consequently, annihilation gamma ray pairs are detected with the single elliptic detector ring. Then, annihilation gamma ray pairs occurring inside the elliptic detector ring will be detected. In other words, all annihilation gamma ray pairs will impinge on the single elliptic detector ring at substantially right angles. This inhibits lowering of sensitivity for detection.
US08410445B2

The present invention relates to a human body sensing apparatus with improved accuracy, in which whether a moving direction of a human body is a ‘determinate entry or exit’ or an ‘indeterminate entry or exit’ is determined by analyzing a sensing signal outputted from each of sensor units, and room occupancy states are classified into a ‘ZERO’ state, a ‘CHECK’ state, a ‘WAIT’ state, an ‘AOL’ state and an ‘IOL’ state depending on a determined result. Even a variety of unexpected behaviors that a human can perform in a sensing area of the sensor units can be detected, and thus correctness and correction rate are superior in calculating the number of people staying in a room.
US08410444B2

Disclosed is a net radiometer that measures the net difference between incoming solar and outgoing terrestrial radiant flux energy in the combined short-wave and long-wave far infrared spectral range. In accordance with principles of the invention, a balanced net radiometer can be constructed where each thermal absorber is formed from two separate pieces joined together to form a single thermal mass. Within each thermal absorber, each piece is coated with a separate surface coating of different spectral sensitivity. By constructing an absorber from two separate pieces, it is possible to apply spectral coatings with different curing characteristics, to thermal absorber that acts as a single thermal mass. The pieces within each thermal absorber are sized in a proportion that thermally balances the absorber's thermal sensitivity between short-wave and long-wave far infrared radiant energy.
US08410436B2

In a scan measurement in which a mass scan is repeated across a predetermined mass range, when a voltage is returned from a termination voltage of one scan to an initiation voltage for the next scan, an undershoot or other drawbacks occur to destabilize the voltage value. Therefore, an appropriate waiting time is required. Conventionally, this waiting time has been set to be constant regardless of the analysis conditions. On the other hand, in the quadrupole mass spectrometer according to the present invention, the mass difference ΔM between the scan termination mass and the scan initiation mass is computed based on the specified mass range, and a different settling time is set in accordance with this mass difference. When the mass difference ΔM is small and hence requires only a short voltage stabilization time, a relatively short settling time is set. This shortens the cycle period of the mass scan, which increases the temporal resolution.
US08410435B2

Provided is a small-sized mass analysis system capable of analyzing an analysis target system being under atmospheric pressure. The mass analysis system (7) has a cyclone separator (1) including a hollow shaft motor (19) for rotationally driving a turbo blade (17). Combining a mass analysis device with the cyclone separator makes it possible to remove dust and introduce into the mass analysis device a gas present in a region where the pressure in the cyclone separator is sufficiently reduced.
US08410430B2

A Time of Flight mass analyser is disclosed wherein the time period between successive orthogonal acceleration pulses is less than the time of flight of ions having the maximum mass to charge ratio of interest. As a result, some ions are subject to wrap-around and will appear in a subsequent mass spectrum. Mass spectra obtained at two different sampling rates may be compared and mass peaks relating to ions which have and have not been subject to wrap-around may be identified.
US08410427B2

The present teachings provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate and a lower surface electrode in which an aluminum containing layer, a titanium layer, a nickel layer, and a nickel oxidation-prevention layer are laminated in order from a semiconductor substrate side, wherein the titanium layer of the lower electrode is formed by sputtering in an atmosphere of a partial pressure of oxygen being equal to or less than 5×10−6 Pa.
US08410422B2

The invention is related to the adjustment of characteristics of a beam bundle of high-energy radiation emitted from a plasma, particularly for applications in semiconductor lithography. For acquiring and adjusting characteristics of a beam bundle of high-energy radiation emitted from a plasma and focused by means of collector optics, an intensity distribution of the radiation is acquired over the cross section of a convergent beam bundle in a measuring plane perpendicular to the optical axis in front of an intermediate focus of the collector optics, and intensity values are recorded in defined sectors for a quantity of reception regions of a measuring device which are aligned with different radii concentric to the optical axis, and measured quantities and control variables are determined from a comparison of the intensity values of different sectors for aligning the collector optics.
US08410413B2

The present invention relates to a method and a shell (1) for achieving variable firing range and effect when firing from a launcher, which shell (1) contains a firing charge (10), a rocket motor charge (6) with gas outlet (8), a rocket motor nozzle (9) and an active part (5). According to the invention, this is achieved by virtue of the fact that the shell (1) also contains a release mechanism (15) for releasing the rocket motor nozzle (9) from the rocket motor charge (6) after a time delay determined with regard to firing range and effect, and that the rocket motor charge (6) comprises a propellant which is detonable.
US08410408B2

An induction heating unit enabling to attaching coil on coil attaching surface of bobbin with a high degree of accuracy, and a fixing device capable of maintaining the distance between the coil and the member to be heated at a high degree of accuracy, ensuring uniformity of temperature distribution of the member to be heated, rising temperature at a high speed, and enhancing quality of fixation. In an induction heating unit 30 including a magnetizing coil 39 attached on a coil bobbin 38 which is disposed outside of annular body 19 to be heated, the unit including: a layer of elastic adhesive 44a provided on the outer surface of the coil bobbin 38; a magnetizing coil 39 provided on the layer of elastic adhesive 44a, the magnetizing coil 39 being wound beforehand following an attaching surface; and a layer of elastic adhesive 44b provided on the magnetizing coil 39.
US08410404B2

The present invention includes a cooking appliance with an enamel composition. The enamel composition includes a heat resistance, chemical resistance, wear resistance, and pollution resistance, such that the cooking appliance withstands high temperature, acid or alkali and is readily cleaned.
US08410403B2

A heater probe assembly, a metallic glow plug assembly therewith and method of constructing the heater probe assembly is provided. The metallic glow plug assembly includes a metal shell having a through bore and a metal sheath extending between a distal end and a terminal end. The terminal end of the metal sheath is fixed in the through bore of the shell. Further, an electrode is provided having an end with a heating element attached to thereto. The heating element and end of the electrode are received in the sheath. A packing powder is disposed in the sheath about the heating element. Further, a ceramic seal has an outer surface attached to the sheath by a braze joint and an inner surface attached to the electrode by a braze joint. The ceramic seal provides a hermetic seal between the packing powder and an environment external to the sheath.
US08410397B2

The present invention concerns itself with a dry, free of toxic chemicals, and thus, environmentally safe, mineral processing technique. It uses ore elements' specific heat differences as the basis for separating valuable minerals from ores. No EPA approval, no environmental pit and no expensive monitoring are required in order to practice the teachings of the present invention. Furthermore, the technique described herein is economically attractive since it is a low cost approach to mineral processing.
US08410394B2

A method and apparatus for processing substrate edges is disclosed that overcomes the limitations of conventional edge processing methods and systems used in semiconductor manufacturing. The edge processing method and apparatus of this invention includes a laser and optical system to direct a beam of radiation onto a rotating substrate supported by a chuck. The optical system accurately and precisely directs the beam to remove or transform organic or inorganic films, film stacks, residues, or particles, in atmosphere, from the top edge, top bevel, apex, bottom bevel, and bottom edge of the substrate in a single process step. An optional gas injector system directs gas onto the substrate edge to aid in the reaction. Reaction by-products are removed by means of an exhaust tube enveloping the reaction site. This invention permits precise control of an edge exclusion width, resulting in an increase in the number of usable die on a wafer. Wafer edge processing with this invention replaces existing methods that use large volumes of purified water and hazardous chemicals including solvents, acids, alkalis, and proprietary strippers.
US08410393B2

A recirculation system of a substrate support on which a semiconductor substrate is subjected to a multistep process in a vacuum chamber, the system comprising a substrate support having at least one liquid flow passage in a base plate thereof, an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the flow passage, a supply line in fluid communication with the inlet, and a return line in fluid communication with the outlet; a first recirculator providing liquid at temperature T1 in fluid communication with the supply line and the return line; a second recirculator providing liquid at temperature T2 in fluid communication with the supply line and the return line, temperature T2 being at least 10° C. above temperature T1; a pre-cooling unit providing liquid at temperature Tpc connected to the inlet and the outlet, temperature Tpc being at least 10° C. below T1; a pre-heating unit providing liquid at temperature Tph connected to the inlet and the outlet, temperature Tph being at least 10° C. above T2; a controller operable to selectively operate valves of the recirculation system to recirculate liquid between the flow passage and the first recirculator, the second recirculator, the pre-cooling unit or the pre-heating unit.
US08410386B2

The disclosure relates to a cam disc and to a spring deflection switch having a cam disc for a spring-loaded drive, wherein the cam disc includes a first, second and third circumferential region, each having at least one corresponding radial extension, for actuating a pushbutton including a switching hysteresis. The at least one second radial extension is larger than the at least one third radial extension, which in turn is larger than the at least one first radial extension. The pushbutton can interact with the cam disc in the spring deflection switch such that when the pushbutton is applied by the first circumferential region, the switching contact assumes a first switching position, and when the pushbutton is applied by the second circumferential region, the switching contact assumes a second switching position, and when the pushbutton is applied by the third circumferential region, the switching contact remains in the switching position assumed earlier.
US08410379B2

An electric operating device includes an operation member for operating to activate a plurality of electric functions provided at a vehicle seat. An operating structure for switching a pivoting position of the operation member is configured as a switching structure for selecting the electric function that is an operational object. Further, an operating structure for switching a slide position in a diametrical direction of the operation member is configured as an operation control structure by which the electric function selected as the operational object is operated to activate. Further, a pushing operation structure of the operation portion is configured as a switching structure for switching a category of an electric function group. The pushing operating structure of the operation member is provided with a return mechanism for returning the operation member operated to be pushed to an initial position taken before the pushing operation by urging the operation member.
US08410378B1

A grounding fitting for mounted engagement with an electrical enclosure has an elongated body with a first generally cylindrically shaped section and a hub section. Both sections have a longitudinally extending passageway dimensioned for passage of a ground electrode/ground rod. The first section includes a threaded aperture for receipt of a screw to electrically and mechanically secure a ground electrode/ground rod to the grounding fitting. The hub section is also dimensioned to secure a rigid or EMT conduit thereto. The first section includes a flange at one end with associated threads formed in the outer surface of the first section to mechanically and electrically secure the grounding fitting to an electrical enclosure with a locking ring. An O-ring positioned in the flange provides a fluid resistant barrier relative to the interior of the electrical enclosure.
US08410370B2

A touch pad including a printed circuit board, a plurality of column-conductor groups and a plurality of row-column groups. The printed circuit board is formed with an upper surface and a lower surface. The column-conductor groups include a plurality of first column-conductors and a plurality of second column-conductors. The row-conductor groups include a plurality of first row-conductors and a plurality of second row-conductors. The first column-conductors and the first row-conductors are provided on the upper surface. The second column-conductors and the second row-conductors are respectively provided on one and the other of the upper surface and the lower surface, and electrically connected to each other through column-vias and row-vias. Whereby the structure, the existing material and process can be still be used, and the problem of crossed wires can be avoided, also the yield of products can be increased with less waste of materials.
US08410366B2

A protection device for a power cable that includes a central conductor surrounded by insulation based on paper impregnated with material based on impregnation oil may include a sheath around the insulation, a first portion of the cable stripped of the sheath, an adjacent portion of the cable stripped of both the insulation and sheath, the adjacent portion penetrating the connector; an outer protection extending over at least the first and adjacent portions, and extending over the connector; and/or a plug of high-permittivity mastic material filling an axial space extending along the adjacent portion. The outer protection may include a barrier layer in contact with the insulation along at least part of the first portion. The barrier layer may include elastomer material that is virtually impermeable to the oil. The plug may axially separate the barrier layer and connector to prevent migration of the oil into the connector.
US08410364B2

A cable slack management system may include a frame and a cable management module. The frame may include a plurality of perimeter frame members to provide support for a plurality of component modules. The plurality of component modules may be locatable between a first frame member and a second frame member parallel to the first frame member. The cable management module may be coupled to the first frame member and configured to slide into and out of the first frame member. The cable management module may be configured to hold a portion of one or more cables that run along the first frame member.
US08410363B1

An electrical wall plate including a wall having a front surface and a rear surface with at least one opening, the opening sized to receive a face of a receptacle, a hinge secured to the front surface, a cover pivotally mounted to the front surface proximate the hinge, a latch located on the cover releaseably engaging the cover and selectively preventing pivotal movement of the cover.
US08410359B2

A box for connecting a solar panel to a cable has a generally planar flat base securable to a solar panel, forming a transversely open cavity for connection of elements of the solar panel with the cable, and formed with a laterally open aperture. A flat cover fittable transversely with the base to close the cavity is formed with an aperture forming with the aperture of the base when the cover is fitted to the base a hole that opens generally parallel to the base into the cavity and that is snugly fittable around the cable. A clip fixed on the base adjacent the aperture forms a mouth fittable around the cable extending through the hole and open generally parallel to the base.
US08410357B2

Disclosed is a novel thin film photovoltaic device and a process of making. The device comprises an interface layer between the absorber layer and the electrode resulting in an improved back contact and improved device efficiency. The interface layer comprises a material comprising a Ma-(Group VIA)b compound, where M is a transition metal the Group VIA designates Te, Se and/or S.
US08410350B2

A photovoltaic module with photovoltaic cell and a heat sink. The heat sink is attached on a side of the cell opposite to the light-receiving side of the photovoltaic cell. The heat sink can remove heat caused by light absorbed by the photovoltaic cell but not converted to electricity as well as heat generated by resistance to high current passing through electrodes of the photovoltaic cell. A photovoltaic module formed of such cells can exhibit greater energy conversion efficiency as a result of the ability to dissipate the heat. A method of making a solar module involves e.g. laminating a heat sink to a photovoltaic cell.
US08410345B2

Herein described is a tone control device for percussion instruments comprising a first strap, a second strap, a weighted member and an engagement loop for the convenient engagement of a drum stick or other striking implement. The device attaches to a percussion instrument in such a manner as to allow a user to apply the tone control device to the percussion instrument's strike surface efficiently and conveniently with minimal disruption in play.
US08410339B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1023771. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1023771. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1023771 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1023771 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08410338B2

A lettuce cultivar, designated ‘Henriette’, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of lettuce cultivar ‘Henriette’, to the plants of lettuce cultivar ‘Henriette’ and to methods for producing a lettuce plant by crossing the cultivar ‘Henriette’ with itself or another lettuce cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing a lettuce plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic lettuce plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to lettuce cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar ‘Henriette’, to methods for producing other lettuce cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar ‘Henriette’ and to the lettuce plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid lettuce seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar ‘Henriette’ with another lettuce cultivar.
US08410336B2

This invention provides transgenic plant cells with recombinant DNA for expression of proteins that are useful for imparting enhanced agronomic trait(s) to transgenic crop plants. This invention also provides transgenic plants and progeny seed comprising the transgenic plant cells where the plants are selected for having an enhanced trait selected from the group of traits consisting of enhanced water use efficiency, enhanced cold tolerance, increased yield, enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, enhanced seed protein and enhanced seed oil. Also disclosed are methods for manufacturing transgenic seed and plants with enhanced traits.
US08410324B2

A process for isomerising a (hydrohalo)fiuoroalkene, the process comprising contacting the (hydrohalo)fluoroalkene with a catalyst comprising an unsupported Lewis acid, a chromia-containing catalyst containing at least one additional metal, an alumina, a supported liquid catalyst, and mixtures thereof.
US08410314B1

Described is a method of synthesizing 6-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)bicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-one by reacting 3-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)cyclopentene with dichloroketene. The resulting reaction products are reacted with acetic acid and zinc to produce 4-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)bicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-6-one and 4-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)bicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-7-one, which are reacted with trimethylsulfonium iodide to produce 2-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)spiro[bicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-6,2′-oxirane] and 4-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)spiro-[bicyclo-[3.2.0] heptane-6,2′-oxirane]. Lithium iodide is reacted with 2-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)spiro[bicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-6,2′-oxirane] and 4-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)spiro-[bicyclo-[3.2.0]heptane-6,2′-oxirane] to produce 6-(5-ethoxyhept-1-yl)bicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-one. A method of synthesizing 6-(5-methoxyhept-1-yl)bicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-one is also described.
US08410312B2

The invention relates to a process for preparation of a compound of formula (I): R1 is selected from C1-6alkyl, C2-6alkenyl, and C2-6alkynyl; which comprises: (i) reaction with fluoride, suitably [18F]fluoride, of a corresponding compound of formula (II): wherein R2 is selected from hydrogen, C1-10alkyl, C1-10haloalkyl, C6-14aryl, C6-14arylalkyl, —(CH2CH2O)q—CH3 wherein q is an integer of from 1 to 10; R1 is as defined for the compound of formula (I); and R3 is a leaving group. Certain novel precursors of formula (II) and radiopharmaceutical kits containing such precursors are also claimed.
US08410297B2

The invention pertains to a method of producing organohalohydrosilanes by treating a silicon metal with a halogen-containing compound, wherein the halogen-containing compound has a formula selected from RdSiX4-d (II) and RX (III), combining a catalyst and a promoter with the treated silicon metal, and contacting the combination with hydrogen gas and an organohalide. The invention also pertains to a method of producing organohalohydrosilanes by contacting an organohalide and hydrogen gas with a combination of silicon metal, a catalyst, a promoter and a hydrogen storage material. The invention also pertains to a method of producing organohalohydrosilanes by contacting an organohalide and hydrogen gas with a combination of a silicon metal, a catalyst, a promoter and a hydrogenation catalyst. The invention also pertains to a method of producing organohalohydrosilanes by contacting an organohalide and hydrogen gas with a reaction mass residue and optionally a hydrogenation catalyst.
US08410286B2

The disclosure relates to a compound of formula (I): and salts thereof; wherein Ar, L, A, X, R1, R2, R3, R4a, R4b, and R5 are as defined in the disclosure; compositions comprising said compounds, methods for their preparation, intermediates thereto, and the use thereof, particularly as drugs.
US08410276B2

A compound represented by formula (I), a salt thereof, an N-oxide thereof, a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof: (wherein each symbol is as defined in the description.) The compounds represented by formula (I) has the antagonistic activity against CCR5, so they are useful in preventing and/or treating CCR5-related diseases, for example, various inflammatory diseases (asthma, nephritis, nephropathy, hepatitis, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis, etc.), immunological diseases (autoimmune diseases, rejection in organ transplantation (rejection of graft of solid organ, rejection of graft of pancreatic islet cells in therapy for diabetes, graft-versus-host disease, etc.), immunosuppression, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, etc.), infectious diseases (infection with human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, infection with RSV, etc.), allergic diseases (atopic dermatitis, urticaria, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis, etc.), cardiovascular diseases (arteriosclerosis, ischemic reperfusion injury, etc.), acute respiratory distress syndrome, shock accompanying bacterial infection, diabetes, cancer metastasis and so on.
US08410273B2

Low molecular weight compound exhibiting an osteogenesis-promoting action having the general formula (I) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof:
US08410270B2

Metal complexes comprising at least one polycyclic aromatic ligand and bearing at least one deuterium atom, an organic light-emitting diode comprising at least one inventive metal complex, a light-emitting layer comprising at least one inventive metal complex, an organic light-emitting diode comprising at least one inventive light-emitting layer, the use of the at least one inventive metal complex in organic light-emitting diodes, and a device selected from the group consisting of stationary visual display units such as visual display units of computers, televisions, visual display units in printers, kitchen appliances and advertising panels, illuminations, information panels and mobile visual display units such as visual display units in cellphones, laptops, digital cameras, vehicles, and destination displays on buses and trains, comprising at least one inventive organic light-emitting diode.
US08410261B2

The invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for inhibiting the expression of a gene from the JC Virus (JC virus genome), comprising an antisense strand having a nucleotide sequence which is less that 30 nucleotides in length, generally 19-25 nucleotides in length, and which is substantially complementary to at least a part of a gene from the JC Virus. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the dsRNA together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; methods for treating diseases caused by JC virus expression and the expression of a gene from the JC Virus using the pharmaceutical composition; and methods for inhibiting the expression of a gene from the JC Virus in a cell.
US08410256B2

A nucleic acid aptamer capable of binding specifically to bisphenol A and a method of detecting and removing bisphenol A using the nucleic acid aptamer. The nucleic acid aptamer capable of binding specifically to bisphenol A has affinity for bisphenol A at nM concentration, and thus can detect even a very small amount of bisphenol A. Also, the nucleic acid aptamer can specifically detect only bisphenol A without showing affinity for other bisphenols, including bisphenol B having no difference from bisphenol A except for a single methyl group. Accordingly, the nucleic acid aptamer is effective in detecting and removing the environmental hormone bisphenol A which is difficult to detect by conventional methods.
US08410254B2

A process for preparing a rare-earth organophosphate in the form of a gel that can be used as is for the preparation of a “preformed” catalyst system intended, in particular, for the cis-1,4 stereospecific polymerization of conjugated dienes.
US08410249B2

The present invention relates to peptides, particularly human monoclonal antibodies, that bind specifically to poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG), such as Staphylococcal PNAG, in acetylated, partially acetylated and/or fully deacetylated form. The invention further provides methods for using these peptides in the diagnosis, prophylaxis and therapy of infections by bacteria that express PNAG such as but not limited to Staphylococci and E. coli. Some antibodies of the invention enhance opsonophagocytic killing and in vivo protection against bacteria that express PNAG such as but not limited to Staphylococci and E. coli. Compositions of these peptides, including pharmaceutical compositions, are also provided, as are functionally equivalent variants of such peptides.
US08410247B2

Water soluble reagents and methods for the formation of an amide bond between a phosphinothioester and an azide in an aqueous medium. The phosphinothioester is generated using a water-soluble phosphinothiol reagent. This reaction allows formation of an amide bond between a wide variety of chemical species including amino acids, peptides or protein fragments in an aqueous solution. Of particular interest, this reaction allows for the formation of an amide bond in a physiological setting. In a specific embodiment, this invention provides reagents and methods for peptide ligation in an aqueous medium. The reaction eliminates the need for a cysteine residue and is traceless leaving no residual atoms in the ligated peptide product.
US08410246B2

The present invention relates generally to tissue differentiation factor (TDF) analogs. More specifically, the invention relates to structure-based methods and compositions useful in designing, identifying, and producing molecules which act as functional modulators of TDF-like receptors. The invention further relates to methods of detecting, preventing, and treating TDF-associated disorders.
US08410243B2

Novel aromatic ether-containing monomers are described along with processes for their preparation and their polymerization into corresponding aromatic ether-containing polyfluorenes. These polyfluorenes exhibited stable blue-emission and therefore have application in polymer light-emitting devices.
US08410241B2

A process for the preparation of a polymerizable unit for production of a hole transporting polymer for use in an optical device, which process comprises reacting in the presence of S to form wherein each R is the same or different and is independently H or a substituent group; n is O or an integer from 1 to 100; Ar and Ar′ are the same or different and are each aromatic or heteroaromatic groups which are substituted or unsubstituted; Y is a direct bond, a light emissive moiety, a hole transporting moiety or an electron transporting moiety; and X is a polymerizable group.
US08410233B2

To prepare superabsorbents with a low residual monomer content, a salt of urea with an inorganic acid is added to the monomer mixture before or during the polymerization or to the polymer after the polymerization but before a heat treatment which follows the polymerization.
US08410220B2

Disclosed are golf balls having soft, resilient bimodal ionomeric covers with improved softness and scuff resistance and methods for their preparation. The soft, resilient bimodal ionomeric covers comprise at least partially neutralized mixtures of carboxylate functionalized terpolymers (molecular weight between about 80,000 and 500,000) with carboxylate functionalized ethylene low copolymers (molecular weight between about 2,000 and 30,000).
US08410217B2

This invention relates to a blend composition comprising: 1) a linear ethylene containing polymer, such as a LLDPE, a HDPE or the like; and at least 1 weight percent of an in-reactor polymer blend comprising: (a) a first ethylene containing polymer having a density of greater than 0.90 g/cm3 and a Mw of more than 20,000 g/mol; and (b) a second ethylene containing polymer having a density of less than 0.90 g/cm3, wherein the polymer blend has a Tm of at least 90° C. (DSC second melt), a density of less than 0.92 g/cm3, and the densities of the first and second polymers differ by at least 1%.
US08410211B2

The invention is a method of producing an essentially electrically neutral polymer dispersion, comprising a polymerizing one or more monomers in the presence of a nonionic surfactant, wherein the polymerization preferably occurs in the absence of ionic surfactants. The invention also includes methods of producing positively or negatively charged polymer dispersions comprising producing the essentially nonionic polymer dispersion and further adding a cationically-charged or anionically-charged surfactant or electrolyte. The invention further includes dispersions produced by the methods of the invention and polymer films and powders produced from these dispersions.
US08410203B2

Disclosed herein is a phosphorus compound represented by Formula 1: wherein each R is the same or different and is independently hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl or C6-C12 aryl.
US08410197B2

The composition of this invention is an inorganic oxide particulate comprising at least 10% by weight organic material in which the particulate has an auto-ignition temperature which is at least 20° C. higher than the auto-ignition temperature of the particulate and organic material which does not contain antioxidant and/or inhibitor. Accordingly, a method has been developed in which one is able to elevate the auto-ignition temperature of such organic containing particulates. In a preferred embodiment the method comprises including antioxidant or inhibitor in the organic material prior to combining it with the inorganic oxide.
US08410180B2

A method is disclosed for treatment of urinary incontinence. The method includes the steps of providing to a person or animal, in the vicinity of a pubo-urethral ligament of the person or animal, a composition including collagen macromolecules that have hydroxyphenyl side groups substituted thereon, which are reacted to form dihydroxyphenyl linkages. In an embodiment, the collagen macromolecules are gelatin macromolecules. In another embodiment, the hydroxyphenyl side groups are tyramine side groups and the dihydroxyphenyl linkages are dityramine linkages. The composition can be injected into a space between a urethra and a pubis of the person or animal wherein the pubo-urethral ligament is disposed in the space. The method is advantageous, for example, based on being minimally invasive.
US08410176B2

The present invention discloses processes for the preparation of 3-[(1R,2R)-3-(dimethyl-amino)-1-ethyl-2-methyl-propyl]phenol (Tapentadol), salts thereof and related compounds of formula (A), including stereoisomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and to certain intermediates used in such process.
US08410174B2

The present invention relates to the use of compounds of general formula (I) as ligands to the melanocortin receptors and/or for treatment of disorders in the melanocortin system: wherein X is H or OH; R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, electron donor groups such as alkoxy having 1-5 carbon atoms or hydroxy, electron acceptor groups selected from cyano, nitro, trifluoroalkyl or amide; alkylamino, benzoyloxy, nitroxy, phenyl or sulpho; and the pharmacologically active salts thereof.
US08410168B2

Compounds that cause reversible night blindness may be used to treat ophthalmic conditions associated with the overproduction of waste products that accumulate during the course of the visual cycle. We describe methods and compositions using such compounds and their derivatives to treat, for example, the macular degenerations and dystrophies or to alleviate symptoms associated with such ophthalmic conditions. Such compounds and their derivatives may be used as single agent therapy or in combination with other agents or therapies.
US08410167B2

Methods of using dronedarone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for the preparation of a medicament for use in the prevention of cardiovascular hospitalization or of mortality, articles of manufacture and packages related thereto.
US08410162B2

Compounds, formulations, and methods are provided containing the choline ester of a reducing agent, especially lipoic acid or derivatives thereof. The compounds may be administered via a topical ocular route to treat or prevent oxidative damage.
US08410157B2

The present invention relates to N-cycloalkyl-benzyl-thiocarboxamide or N-cycloalkyl-benzyl-N-substituted-carboximidamide amide derivatives of formula (I) wherein A represents a carbo-linked, unsaturated or partially saturated, 5-membered heterocyclyl; T represents S, N—Ra, N—ORa, N—NRaRb or N—CN; Z1 represents a C3-C7-cycloalkyl and Z2; Z3, X and n represent various substituents; their process of preparation; their use as fungicide active agents, particularly in the form of fungicide compositions and methods for the control of phytopathogenic fungi, notably of plants, using these compounds or compositions.
US08410149B2

Compounds, methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating viral infections, by administering certain novel semicarbazides, sulfonyl carbazides, ureas and related compounds in therapeutically effective amounts are disclosed. Methods for preparing the compounds and methods of using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are also disclosed. In particular, the treatment and prophylaxis of viral infections such as caused by hemorrhagic fever viruses is disclosed, i.e., including but not limited to Arenaviridae (Junin, Machupo, Guanavito, Sabia and Lassa), Filoviridae (ebola and Marburg viruses), Flaviviridae (yellow fever, omsk hemorrhagic fever and Kyasanur Forest disease viruses), and Bunyaviridae (Rift Valley fever).
US08410146B2

2-pyridyl substituted imidazoles of the formula (I) as shown in claim 1, are provided, which are useful in the treatment of diseases mediated by ALK5 or ALK4 inhibitors or both.
US08410145B2

A compound of formula (I): wherein A1, A2, A3, A4, G1, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined in claim 1; or a salt or N-oxide thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to processes and intermediates for preparing compounds of Formula (I), to insecticidal, acaricidal, molluscicidal or nematicidal compositions comprising them and to methods of using them to combat and control insect, acarine, mollusc or nematode pests.
US08410143B2

The present invention relates to methylene urea derivatives of formula (I), the use of the compounds of formula (I) as inhibitors of raf-kinase, the use of the compounds of formula (I) for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition and a method of treatment, comprising administering said pharmaceutical composition to a patient.
US08410141B2

The invention relates to novel arylpyrroline compounds of formula (I) which have excellent insecticidal activity and which can thus be used as an insecticide.
US08410132B2

The present invention relates to modulators of ATP-Binding Cassette (“ABC”) transporters or fragments thereof, including Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator, compositions thereof, and methods therewith. The present invention also relates to methods of treating ABC transporter mediated diseases using such modulators.
US08410130B2

The present disclosure relates to a series of bis(hydroxymethyl) and its bis(carbamate) of 8H-3a-azacyclopenta[a]indene-1-yl and 5,10-dihydropyrrolo-[1,2-b]isoquinolines derivatives (Formula I-Formula IV) as DNA di-alkylating agents. The preliminary antitumor studies indicated that compounds disclosed herein could exhibit potent cytotoxicity in vitro and antitumor therapeutic efficacy in human tumor xenografts and could have little or no cross-resistance to either Taxol or Vinblastine. The results demonstrated that compounds disclosed herein possess potent antitumor therapeutic efficacy and are expected to have potential for clinical applications.
US08410126B2

Compounds of general formula (1) wherein A, B, R1 to R5, Rx m, n and p are defined as described in the specification, which are suitable for the treatment of diseases characterized by excessive or abnormal cell proliferation, pharmaceutical preparations which contain such compounds and the use thereof [as] medicaments.
US08410125B2

This invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a sulfonated biological precursor of thymidine, such as a precursor of 4-thiothymidine (4-TT), and their use in the photodynamic treatment of skin hyperplasias, including cancer, psoriasis, actinic keratosis and keloids, by topical or systemic administration.
US08410120B2

A compound in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, the compound having a formula: wherein: R1 is a member of the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, nitro, benzo, lower alkyl, phenyl, and lower alkoxy; R2 is a member of the group consisting of hydroxy, acetoxy, and lower alkoxy; and R3 is a member of the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkenoxy-carbonyl; and n is either 1 or 2; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; for use in treatment of or prevention of skeletal muscle fibrosis and/or for inducing skeletal muscle regeneration.
US08410115B2

Alpha 4 inhibitors are used in treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn's Disease, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Rare occurrences of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy during treatment with an alpha-4 agent suggest the possibility that it may be related to such treatment. Monitoring for the JC virus and educating caregivers and patients about the manifestations of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy can improve the safety of alpha 4 inhibitor therapy.
US08410114B2

The invention provides compounds of formula wherein R1, R3, R4, R5, R14, X and W are as defined in the specification and optical isomers, racemates and tautomers thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; together with processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy. The compounds are inhibitors of human neutrophil elastase.
US08410111B2

The present invention is directed to therapeutic agents which are atypical antipsychotics and which are useful in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders associated with dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A neurotransmission dysfunction.
US08410106B2

The present invention constitutes new hydrazine-substituted anthranilic acid derivatives of the general formula (I), in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, Qx, A, Qy and n have the definitions indicated in the description, application thereof as insecticides and acaricides for controlling animal pests, alone and in combination with further agents for activity boosting, and a number of processes for their preparation.
US08410104B2

The present invention is concerned with isoxazole-pyridazines of formula I, having affinity and selectivity for GABA A α5 receptor, their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as therapeutically active substances. The active compounds of the present invention are useful as cognitive enhancer or for the therapeutic and/or prophylactic treatment of cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
US08410098B2

Disclosed are N-{1-[3-(2-ethoxy-5-(4-ethylpiperazinyl)sulfonylphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1,2,4-triazin-6-yl]ethyl}butyramide (which is represented by formula III and utilized for preparing vardenafil), its preparation method, intermediates during preparation procedure, preparation method for such intermediates and a method for preparing vardenafil from the compound. In the method for preparing vardenafil, a chloro-sulfonation reaction carries out in the early stage of the preparation procedure
US08410092B2

The present invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition that includes a combination of about 2-5 milligrams of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and from about 2-30 milligrams of an opioid analgesic in a single pharmaceutical dosage unit that can provide effective chronic pain management with the added benefit of reduced side effects such as withdrawal and gastrointestinal disorders. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug may be piroxicam and the opioid analgesic may be buprenorphine. The present invention also provides for a method of managing pain in a patient that includes administering the pharmaceutical composition previously described. The pharmaceutical composition previously described may be administered in a single or multiple dosage regimen.
US08410090B2

The invention relates to heterocyclylamide-substituted thiazoles, pyrroles and thiophenes and processes for their preparation, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and to their use for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, in particular for the use as antiviral agents, especially against cytomegaloviruses.
US08410083B2

The invention relates to compounds of Formula A: (A) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, or prodrug thereof. The compounds of Formula A are TGR5 modulators useful for the treatment of various diseases, including obesity, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, cholestasis, and bile desaturation.
US08410080B1

This invention discloses 2-methylene-vitamin D analogs, and specifically (20S)-1α,25 -dihydroxy-2-methylene-vitamin D3 as well as (5E)-(20S)-1α,25-dihydroxy-2 -methylene-vitamin D3 and (20R)-1α,25-dihydroxy-2-methylene-vitamin D3, as well as pharmaceutical uses therefor. These compounds exhibit relatively high binding activity and pronounced activity in arresting the proliferation of undifferentiated cells and inducing their differentiation to the monocyte thus evidencing use as an anti-cancer agent especially for the treatment or prevention of osteosarcoma, leukemia, colon cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer or prostate cancer. These compounds also have relatively high calcemic activities evidencing use in the treatment of bone diseases.
US08410078B2

Disclosed herein are N-methanocarba derivatives of AMP and their use in the treatment of cardiac and vascular diseases and conditions responsive to activation of the cardiac P2X receptor. In one embodiment, the N-methanocarba derivative of AMP is the N-methanocarba derivative of 2-chloro-AMP. Diseases and conditions responsive to activation of the cardiac P2X receptor include, for example, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac failure resulting from any cause of abnormal Ca2+ homeostasis or from myocardial injuries, vascular insufficiency leading to myocardial infarction, post-myocardial infarction conditions, post-myocardial infarction conditions within the short-term post-infarction period, and diastolic heart failure.
US08410066B2

Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for treating cancer and inflammatory diseases, and for releasing cells such as stem cells (e.g., bone marrow progenitor cells) into circulating blood and enhancing retention of the cells in the blood. More specifically, heterobifunctional compounds that inhibit both E-selectins and CXCR4 chemokine receptors are described.
US08410063B2

The invention relates to compositions and methods for treating kidney and muscle dysfunction that involves use of therapeutic amounts of N-acetyl mannosamine.
US08410060B2

The invention pertains to methods and compositions for treating medical disorders characterized by elevated levels or abnormal expression of TNFα by administering a TNFα antagonist, such as recombinant TNFR:Fc.
US08410059B2

Therapeutic drugs for cancer and chronic rheumatoid arthritis which contain a peptide having a CXCR4 antagonism, its amide, its ester or its salt are described. Also, the present invention provides a novel peptide having a CXCR4 antagonism, its amide, its ester and its salt.
US08410048B2

The invention relates to a method for producing a type of insulin by genetically engineering a precursor thereof and converting said precursor to the respective insulin in an enzyme-catalyzed ligation reaction with lysine amide or arginine amide, or by lysine or arginine which is modified by protective groups, and optionally subsequent hydrolysis.
US08410046B2

The present invention relates to a new antibiotic peptide and a usage thereof, which are derived from ribosomal protein L1, RPL1 of Helicobacter pylori. Specifically, the antibiotic peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ. ID. NO:1 derived from ribosomal protein L1, RPL1 of Helicobacter pylori is substituted with a Phenylalanine, which is situated at the first and the eighth position from the antibiotic peptide, or in addition an Asparagine, which is situated at the thirteenth position of the antibiotic peptide, is substituted with lysine, wherein the produced peptides have maintained more decreased cytotoxicity when comparing to the existing antibiotic peptides and can be used as a safe antibiotics by showing more antibacterial activity.
US08410030B2

The present invention relates to a lubricating composition containing an alkali metal borate. The invention further provides for a method of lubricating a device with grease or a metalworking fluid by employing the lubricating composition containing the alkali metal borate.
US08410025B2

A stabilized herbicidal composition, comprising a fenoxaprop ester herbicide, a salt of 2,4-D, a salt of MCPP-P and a salt of Dicamba, which may also optionally contain additional stabilizers such as triethylamine. Also disclosed is a stabilized herbicidal composition comprising a fenoxaprop ester herbicide in combination with a bromoxynil mixed ester herbicide. The stabilized herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also contain one or more surfactants and/or safeners.
US08410019B2

A modifying agent for a coating composition for producing a protective layer in a thermosensitive recording medium, wherein the modifying agent contains a polyurethane resin (A) having the structure represented by the following general formula (I) and a hydrophilic group, and an aqueous medium. (in the general formula (I), R1 and R2 represent individually an alkyl group, and m and n represent individually an integer of 1 or greater.)
US08410018B2

Iron-comprising heterogeneous catalyst and a process for producing it, which comprises the steps of thermal decomposition of gaseous iron pentacarbonyl to give carbonyl iron powder having spherical primary particles, treatment of carbonyl iron powder with hydrogen, resulting in the metallic spherical primary particles at least partially forming agglomerates, contacting the agglomerates with iron pentacarbonyl, and thermal decomposition of the iron pentacarbonyl to give at least predominantly pore-free and void-free secondary particles.
US08410010B2

The present disclosure relates to a process for the production of a base complex catalyst comprising reacting a hydroxide base with a polyalcohol, under vacuum pressure, at a temperature in the range of about 60° C. to about 220° C., wherein the mole ratio of the hydroxide base to the polyalcohol is greater than about 2:1.
US08410009B2

Provided are a ceramic member being a sintered body including at least forsterite and boron nitride as major components, and in which the boron nitride is oriented in one direction, a probe holder formed by using the ceramic member, and a method for manufacturing the ceramic member. In the ceramic member, the index of orientation preference is equal to or lower than 0.07, and the coefficient of thermal expansion at 20 to 300° C. in a direction parallel to the direction of orientation is (3 to 5)×10−6/° C., or the three-point bending strength based on JIS R 1601 is equal to or higher than 250 MPa.
US08409988B2

Provided are a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving defects of conventional CVD and ALD methods, satisfying requirements of film-thinning, and realizing high film-forming rate. The method includes forming a first layer including a first element being able to become solid state by itself on a substrate by supplying a gas containing the first element into a process vessel in which the substrate is accommodated under a condition that a CVD reaction occurs, and forming a second layer including the first element and a second element being unable to become solid state by itself by supplying a gas containing the second element into the process vessel to modify the first layer, wherein a cycle including the forming of the first layer and the forming of the second layer is performed at least once to form a thin film including the first and second elements and having a predetermined thickness.
US08409981B2

Disclosed are a semiconductor package and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor package can include a semiconductor substrate, having one surface on which a conductive pad is formed; an insulating layer, being formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate; a metal post, penetrating through the conductive pad, the semiconductor substrate, and the insulating layer; and an outer-layer circuit, being electrically connected to the metal post. With the present invention, it can become unnecessary to form an additional via for electrically connecting both surfaces of the semiconductor substrate, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing the manufacturing cost, and improving the coupling reliability.
US08409979B2

A semiconductor device has a substrate and first conductive pads formed over the substrate. An interconnect surface area of the first conductive pads is expanded by forming a plurality of recesses into the first conductive pads. The recesses can be an arrangement of concentric rings, arrangement of circular recesses, or arrangement of parallel linear trenches. Alternatively, the interconnect surface area of the first conductive pads is expanded by forming a second conductive pad over the first conductive pad. A semiconductor die has a plurality of interconnect structures formed over a surface of the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die is mounted to the substrate with the interconnect structures contacting the expanded interconnect surface area of the first conductive pads to increase bonding strength of the interconnect structure to the first conductive pads. A mold underfill material is deposited between the semiconductor die and substrate.
US08409971B2

An electronic device with integrated discrete components, including a wafer including cavities that can receive the components, an active face of the components being in a same plane as a face of the receiving wafer, and a material for laterally coating the components in the cavities.
US08409963B2

Disclosed are methods of making a semiconductor package comprising at least one thin-film capacitor embedded into at least one build-up layer of said semiconductor package. A thin-film capacitor is provided wherein the thin-film capacitor has a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a dielectric. A temporary carrier layer is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode is patterned. A PWB core and a build-up material are provided, and the build-up material is placed between the PWB core and the patterned second electrode of said thin-film capacitor. The patterned electrode side of the thin-film capacitor is laminated to the PWB core by way of the build-up material, the temporary carrier layer is removed, and the first electrode is patterned.
US08409961B2

An alteration method of a titanium nitride film, comprising exposing a titanium nitride film formed on a semiconductor substrate to plasma obtained by exciting a process gas that includes noble gas or nitrogen and excludes oxygen, thereby increasing a specific resistance of the titanium nitride film.
US08409959B2

Methods, devices, and systems for using and forming vertically base-connected bipolar transistors have been shown. The vertically base-connected bipolar transistors in the embodiments of the present disclosure are formed with a CMOS fabrication technique that decreases the transistor size while maintaining the high performance characteristics of a bipolar transistor.
US08409956B1

Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming first and second gate electrodes at side-by-side locations on a substrate and forming first and second sidewall spacers on sidewalls of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, respectively. The first and second gate electrodes are covered with a first electrically insulating layer of a first material. A second electrically insulating layer of a second material is deposited on the first electrically insulating layer. The second electrically insulating layer is patterned to define a first opening therein that exposes an underlying first portion of the first electrically insulating layer.
US08409953B2

In a semiconductor device and associated methods, the semiconductor device includes a substrate, an insulation layer on the substrate, a conductive structure on the insulation layer, the conductive structure including at least one metal silicide film pattern, a semiconductor pattern on the conductive structure, the semiconductor pattern protruding upwardly from the conductive structure, a gate electrode at least partially enclosing the semiconductor pattern, the gate electrode being spaced apart from the conductive structure, a first impurity region at a lower portion of the semiconductor pattern, and a second impurity region at an upper portion of the semiconductor pattern.
US08409930B2

A BGA substrate which has a back surface to which a heat radiating plate is attached and an opening for accommodating a relay wiring substrate therein, which is provided in the center of its surface, is used. The relay wiring substrate to which an ASIC chip and a memory chip are flip-chip connected, is bonded to the heat radiating plate in the opening with a thermal conductive bonding material. Further, each of the back surfaces of the ASIC chip and the memory chip is connected to a metal cap for sealing the opening through a thermal conductive material interposed therebetween.
US08409927B1

A method is provided for fabricating an integrated circuit system that includes fabricating a plurality of integrated circuits in and on a semiconductor substrate. Spaced apart solder bumps are attached to the plurality of integrated circuits, the solder bumps in electrical contact to components of the integrated circuits. A dicing tape having a layer of under-fill material thereon is provided and the semiconductor substrate is laminated to the dicing tape with the layer of under-fill material filling spaces between the solder bumps. The semiconductor substrate and layer of under-fill material are diced to singulate individual ones of the plurality of integrated circuits, and one of the individual ones of the plurality of integrated circuits is attached to a second substrate such as another integrated circuit chip or printed circuit board.
US08409926B2

A plurality of semiconductor die is mounted to a temporary carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and carrier. A portion of the encapsulant is designated as a saw street between the die, and a portion of the encapsulant is designated as a substrate edge around a perimeter of the encapsulant. The carrier is removed. A first insulating layer is formed over the die, saw street, and substrate edge. A first conductive layer is formed over the first insulating layer. A second insulating layer is formed over the first conductive layer and first insulating layer. The encapsulant is singulated through the first insulating layer and saw street to separate the semiconductor die. A channel or net pattern can be formed in the first insulating layer on opposing sides of the saw street, or the first insulating layer covers the entire saw street and molding area around the semiconductor die.
US08409920B2

An integrated circuit package system and method of manufacture therefor includes: forming an area array substrate; mounting surface conductors on the area array substrate; forming a molded package body on the area array substrate and the surface conductors; providing a step in the molded package body; and exposing a surface conductor by the step.
US08409919B2

According to a manufacturing method of one embodiment, a first solder bump and a second solder bump are aligned and placed in contact with each other, and thereafter, the first and second solder bumps are heated to a temperature equal or higher than a melting point of the solder bumps and melted, whereby a partially connection body of the first solder bump and the second solder bump is formed. The partially connection body is cooled. The cooled partially connection body is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the solder bump in a reducing atmosphere, thereby to form a permanent connection body by melting the partially connection body while removing an oxide film existing on a surface of the partially connection body.
US08409918B2

A semiconductor device has a substrate with a plurality of conductive vias formed through the substrate and conductive layer formed over the substrate. A first encapsulant is deposited over the substrate outside a die attach area of the substrate. The first encapsulant surrounds each die attach area over the substrate and the die attach area is devoid of the first encapsulant. A channel connecting adjacent die attach areas is also devoid of the first encapsulant. A first semiconductor die is mounted over the substrate within the die attach area after forming the first encapsulant. A second semiconductor die is mounted over the first die within the die attach area. An underfill material can be deposited under the first and second die. A second encapsulant is deposited over the first and second die and first encapsulant. The first encapsulant reduces warpage of the substrate during die mounting.
US08409917B2

A method of manufacturing of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a base substrate; mounting a first die over the base substrate; mounting a second die over the first die; attaching an interposer substrate over the first die with an attachment adhesive therebetween, the interposer substrate having a central cavity and the second die within the central cavity; attaching a lateral interconnect to a second active side away from the first die of the second die and to the interposer substrate; and encapsulating the first die and the second die.
US08409914B2

A method for fabricating a resistive memory device includes forming a lower electrode including a metal nitride layer over a substrate, forming a metal oxide layer used as a variable resistance material by oxidizing a part of the metal nitride layer, and forming an upper electrode on the metal oxide layer.
US08409910B2

An optical sensor that can be produced at a low cost from inexpensive silicon fine particles as raw materials and a method for making the optical sensor are provided.In an optical sensor 1, a layer of n-type silicon fine particles 24 coated with a coating film having a functional group is selectively fixed and bonded onto only a pattern portion of a surface of a transparent electrode 14 coated with a coating film having a first functional group, and a layer of p-type silicon fine particles 25 coated with a coating film having a third functional group is fixed and bonded thereon. The first and second functional groups and the second and third coupling groups are respectively fixed with each other via bonds formed between them and coupling reactive groups in a coupling agent.
US08409899B2

A plurality of image sensor structures and a plurality of methods for fabricating the plurality of image sensor structures provide for inhibited cracking and delamination of a lens capping layer with respect to a planarizing layer within the plurality of image sensor structures. Particular image sensor structures and related methods include at least one dummy lens layer of different dimensions than active lens layer located over a circuitry portion of a substrate within the particular image sensor structures. Additional particular image sensor structures include at least one of an aperture within the planarizing layer and a sloped endwall of the planarizing layer located over a circuitry portion within the particular image sensor structures.
US08409896B2

There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, the method including: forming a light emitting structure by sequentially growing an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate; forming a transparent electrode on the p-type nitride semiconductor layer through a sputtering process; and forming a nitrogen gas atmosphere in an interior of a reaction chamber in which the sputtering process is performed, prior to or during the sputtering process.In the case of the semiconductor light emitting device obtained according to embodiments of the invention, a deterioration phenomenon in electrode characteristics caused due to a nitrogen vacancy may be minimized in manufacturing a transparent electrode through a sputtering process to thereby allow for the provision of a transparent electrode having significantly improved electrical characteristics.
US08409893B2

A convex part formation method of forming a convex part in parallel with a <110> direction of a backing on the backing having a {100} face as the top surface thereof, includes: (a) forming a mask layer in parallel with the <110> direction on the backing; (b) etch the backing so as to form a convex-part upper layer whose sectional shape on a cutting plane corresponding to a {110} face is an isosceles trapezoid, the base of which is longer than the upper side thereof, and the side surface of which has an inclination of θU; and (c) further etching the backing so as to form a convex-part lower layer whose sectional shape on the cutting plane corresponding to the {110} face is an isosceles trapezoid, the base of which is longer than the upper side thereof, and the side surface of which has an inclination of θD (where θD≠θU).
US08409892B2

Various embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to selective photo-enhanced wet oxidation for nitride layer regrowth on substrates. In one aspect, a method may comprise: forming a first III-nitride layer with a first low bandgap energy on a first surface of a substrate; forming a second III-nitride layer with a first high bandgap energy on the first III-nitride layer; transforming portions of the first III-nitride layer into a plurality of III-oxide stripes by photo-enhanced wet oxidation; forming a plurality of III-nitride nanowires with a second low bandgap energy on the second III-nitride layer between the III-oxide stripes; and selectively transforming at least some of the III-nitride nanowires into III-oxide nanowires by selective photo-enhanced oxidation.
US08409891B2

A display device in which a plurality of gate wires and a plurality of drain wires that intersect the gate wires are provided, and thin film transistors connected to the gate wires and the drain wires are formed for respective pixel regions. At least one of the gate wires, the drain wires, and lead wires drawn from the gate wires or the drain wires is formed of a light-transmitting patterned conductive film. The light-transmitting patterned conductive film is formed of at least a first light-transmitting patterned conductive film, and a second light-transmitting patterned conductive film laminated on the first light-transmitting patterned conductive film. The second light-transmitting patterned conductive film is formed of a conductive film for coating only the surface of the first light-transmitting patterned conductive film including its side wall surface.
US08409889B2

A method for producing a semiconductor optical device, includes the steps of: (a) forming a semiconductor region on a substrate, the substrate including first and second areas; the first area including device sections (b) forming a first mask on the semiconductor region, the first mask including first patterns periodically arranged in the first area and a second pattern provided in the second area; (c) forming a plurality of periodic structures in each of the device sections and a monitoring structure in the second area by using the first mask, the periodic structures respectively corresponding to the first patterns, the monitoring structure corresponding to the second pattern; (d) measuring a shape of the monitoring structure; (e) selecting a desired periodic structure from the plurality of periodic structures on a basis of a result of measuring the shape of the monitoring structure; (f) forming a second mask including a pattern on the desired periodic structure; and (g) forming stripe mesas including the desired periodic structure by using the second mask.
US08409888B2

Described herein is a novel technique used to make novel thin III-V semiconductor cleaved facet edge emitting active optical devices, such as lasers and optical amplifiers. These fully processed laser platelets with both top side and bottom side electrical contacts can be thought of as freestanding optoelectronic building blocks that can be integrated as desired on diverse substrates for a number of applications, many of which are in the field of communications. The thinness of these platelets and the precision with which their dimensions are defined using the process described herein makes it conducive to assemble them in dielectric recesses on a substrate, such as silicon, as part of an end-fire coupled, coaxial alignment optoelectronic integration strategy. This technology has been used to integrate edge emitting lasers onto silicon substrates, a significant challenge in the field of silicon optoelectronics.
US08409886B2

A method of producing the image display unit, wherein the image display unit includes an array of a plurality of light emitting devices for displaying an image, and wherein the method of producing the image display unit employs, for example, a space expanding transfer, whereby a first transfer step includes transferring the devices arrayed on a first substrate to a temporary holding member such that the devices are spaced from each other with a pitch larger than a pitch of the devices arrayed on the first substrate, a second holding step includes holding the devices on the temporary holding member, and a third transfer step includes transferring the devices held on the temporary holding member onto a second board such that the devices are spaced from each other with a pitch larger than the pitch of the devices held on the temporary holding member.
US08409876B2

The present invention provides nanoparticle compositions comprising, for example, a core comprising a fluorescent silane compound; and a silica shell on the core. Also provided are methods for the preparation of nanoparticle compositions including fluorescent nanoparticles, ligated-fluorescent nanoparticles, ligated-fluorescent nanoparticles having therapeutic agents, and ligated-fluorescent nanoparticles coupled or associated with an analyte. Also provided are methods: for the detection of the ligated-fluorescent nanoparticles; for associating the linked-fluorescent nanoparticles with a cellular component of interest and recording or monitoring the movement of the cellular component; for improving the therapeutic properties of the therapeutic agent by combining the therapeutic agent with linked-fluorescent nanoparticles and contacting or administering the combination to a cell or organism; for making and using the fluorescent nanoparticles in, for example, diagnostic agents for the detection of various analytes, and like applications.
US08409863B2

A system to selectively deliver relatively small analyte molecules of interest to a SERS-active nanoparticle surface while excluding dozens to hundreds of other species in the environment. In particular, the present invention provides a permselective film that renders the particles of interest as viable small molecule optically addressable sensors.
US08409862B2

Provided are methods for determining the presence or amount of testosterone in a test sample, comprising ionizing all or a portion of the testosterone present in the sample to produce one or more testosterone ions that are detectable in a mass spectrometer. All or a portion of the testosterone present in the sample is ionized to produce one or more testosterone ions, which may be isolated and fragmented to produce precursor ions. A separately detectable internal testosterone standard can be provided in the sample. In a preferred embodiment, the reference is 2,2,4,6,6-d5 testosterone.
US08409857B1

The present invention relates to a method for increased production of a secreted, recombinant protein product through the introduction of molecular chaperones in a mammalian host cell. The present invention also relates to a mammalian host cell with enhanced expression of a secreted recombinant protein product by coexpressing at least one chaperone protein.
US08409856B2

Disclosed herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating the expression of a Gemin Gene. Also provided are methods of target validation. Also provided are uses of disclosed compounds and compositions in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of diseases and disorders.
US08409853B2

A method and system for the enzymatic treatment of a lipid containing feedstock comprises contacting the feedstock with a processing aid, then causing the feedstock to pass at a substantially constant flow rate through a treatment system comprising a plurality of enzyme-containing fixed bed reactors connected to one another in series. The fixed bed reactors can be individually serviceable, the flow rate of the feedstock remaining substantially constant through the system when one of the fixed bed reactors is taken offline for servicing. In the most preferred embodiment, the processing aid is a substantially moisture-free silica. The processing aid can be placed in one or more of the fixed bed reactors, disposed above the enzyme in the reactor, or it can be in a pre-treatment system which can comprise one or more reactors.
US08409848B2

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an apparatus that includes a microfluidic channel and at least one energy absorbing element, where the energy absorbing element is configured to absorb at least a portion of an incident electromagnetic radiation. The absorption of the radiation by the energy absorbing element varies the temperature of a sample in the microfluidic channel.
US08409844B2

A novel Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) bacterium that gives improved texture in e.g. a fermented milk dairy product.
US08409842B2

The present invention relates to methods and materials for recombinant adeno-associated virus production. More particularly, the invention relates to use of recombinant adenovirus encoding adeno-associated virus protein in recombinant adeno-associated virus production methods.
US08409835B2

A method for producing xylitol by fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolysates without detoxification is provided. By using the originally isolated yeast Candida sp., xylose can be effectively converted into xylitol. The invention also provides the Candida strain having high furfural tolerance, and is capable to produce xylitol from various types of non-detoxified lignocellulosic hydrolysates, in which the overall utilization of xylose in hydrolysate can reach over 95%.
US08409833B2

It is intended to provide a novel NAD+-independent myo-inositol 2-dehydrogenase which converts myo-inositol into scyllo-inosose in the absence of NAD+; a novel enzyme scyllo-inositol dehydrogenase which stereospecifically reduces scyllo-inosose into scyllo-inositol in the presence of NADH or NADPH; and a novel microorganism which belongs to the genus Acetobacter or Burkholderia and can convert myo-inositol into scyllo-inositol. By using these enzymes or the microorganism, scyllo-inositol is produced. Furthermore, scyllo-inositol is purified by adding boric acid and a metal salt to a liquid mixture containing scyllo-inositol and a neutral saccharide other than scyllo-inositol to form a scyllo-inositol/boric acid complex, separating the complex from the liquid mixture, dissolving the thus separated complex in an acid to give an acidic solution or an acidic suspension and then purifying scyllo-inositol from the acidic solution or the acidic suspension.
US08409830B2

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.
US08409826B2

Disclosed is a fusion protein including a full-length TAT-utrophin or an anti-dystrophinopathic fragment thereof, a method of treating dystrophinopathies (including Duchenne muscular dystrophy) using the fusion protein, a pharmaceutical composition for treating dystrophinopathies in mammals comprising the fusion protein, and nucleic acid constructs for expressing the fusion protein.
US08409824B2

Antibodies specific for methionine sulfoxide residues on proteins are provided. The antibodies are prepared using methionine-rich zein proteins, which are oxidized, as antigens.
US08409821B2

A method of assessing arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites-dependent hypertension by measuring glucuronidated dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs) and DHET metabolites in a biological sample which contains the epitopes unique to DHET (using any methods including GC/MS, LC/MS or ELISA). An example of the glucuronidated DHET metabolite is DHET-alcohols such as omega or omega-1 oxidated DHET and DHET esterified glycerol. The method further includes determining the amount of glucuronidated molecules containing a DHET-specific epitope which is immunoreactive with antibodies produced against DHETs.
US08409820B2

The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods for determining kinase activity. In some cases, the compositions comprise a triazole heterocycle. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise a quinoline moiety. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to compositions that undergo chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF). In some cases, the compositions may have fluorescence emission spectra with peak maxima greater than 490 nm. The compositions of the present invention can be used, in certain embodiments, to detect phosphorylated substrates and biological processes such as phosphorylation events.
US08409817B2

The invention provides methods and compositions for the detection of Ehrlichia chaffeensis.
US08409816B2

The invention describes biomarkers which can be used to predict the likelihood that an individual will develop Diabetes. The biomarkers can also be used to screen large groups in order to identify individuals at risk of developing Diabetes.
US08409815B2

The invention relates to novel markers of vascular inflammation and combinations thereof as diagnostic and prognostic tools in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The markers also act as tools that facilitate the selection of active ingredients for the treatment of such diseases, and finally act as starting points for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, the invention relates to the creation of an individual risk profile of negative events that are associated with the progression of arteriosclerosis.
US08409811B2

The invention relates to the use of deglycosylated detectors, especially secondary antibodies, for the determination of sugar structures of proteins, especially recombinant proteins. It further relates to the use of deglycosylated enzymes in the determination of sugar structures with the aid of an enzyme-substrate reaction; the invention further relates to a method of determining the sugar structures of proteins, a sugar determination kit and the use of said kit for the determination of sugar structures, especially of recombinant therapeutic proteins, preferably immunoglobulins.
US08409808B2

The invention provides methods for identifying conditions of low grade cervical dysplasia and assessing the progressive potential of individual lesions to develop into high grade cervical dysplasia and cervical squamous cell cancer as well as cervical adenocarcinoma.
US08409804B2

The present invention concerns isolation, library preparation and selective amplification from a compositionally heterogeneous pool of DNA fragments of a fraction of molecules, such as those originating from promoter CpG islands and characterized by a high GC content. In particular, the process utilizes a heat-induced segregation of DNA molecules into GC-poor, single-stranded molecule fractions and GC-rich, double-stranded molecule fractions, with subsequent enzymatic conversion of the GC-rich, double-stranded DNA molecules into a library, and, optionally, amplification. In specific embodiments, the isolation process is used to generate promoter-enriched genomic and methylome libraries for research and diagnostic applications, for example.
US08409801B2

A method and apparatus for exposing a sample, including a liquid and another material, to sonic energy to produce a desired result such as, suspending a material support in the liquid. The material support may be a bead or other particle with at least one surface feature to which the material may bind. Material in the liquid may attach to the material support, such as by specific or non-specific binding, entrapment or other, so as to facilitate separation of the material from the liquid. Separation of the material supports from the liquid and other unbound material may be done by allowing the material supports to settle out, e.g., under the force of gravity and/or as assisted by centrifugation, by applying a magnetic field in case the supports or material bound to the supports are movable by way of a magnetic field, or other techniques.
US08409792B2

Silver halide photographic elements that are color intermediate motion picture films have at least one green sensitive silver halide emulsion that includes a green sensitizing dye that is a cyanine dye having two oxazole groups in the molecule, and another green sensitizing dye having either two imidazole groups in the molecule or one oxazole group and one thiazole group in the molecule. The molar ratio of the first green sensitizing dye to the second green sensitizing dye is from about 4:1 to about 0.3:1. The magenta dye image forming unit has at least one green sensitive silver halide emulsion layer that comprises predominantly cubic silver iodobromide grains having at least 90 mol % bromide and at least 1 mol % iodide, which grains have an average equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) of less than 0.25 μm.
US08409767B2

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and separators which are stacked. A fuel gas channel allows a fuel gas to flow along a surface of one of a pair of electrodes. An oxidant gas channel allows an oxidant gas to flow along a surface of another of a pair of electrodes. A channel width of the oxidant gas channel in a central portion of the oxidant gas channel in a channel width direction is larger than a channel width of the oxidant gas channel in both end portions of the oxidant gas channel in the channel width direction. A channel width of the fuel gas channel in a central portion of the fuel gas channel in a channel width direction is smaller than a channel width of the fuel gas channel in both end portions of the fuel gas channel in the channel width direction.
US08409763B2

A single cell for a solid oxide fuel cell having wave-like architecture and a stack composed of such single cells is described. The cell design provides high durability. The stack design provides uniform distribution of reagents along the surface of the electrodes and between the individual cells. In addition the stack design is non material intensive.
US08409759B2

A unit for use in a fuel cell stack, the unit comprising a porous metal support with a seal made by local fusion and—having a seal depth that extends from the upper surface of the porous metal support to at least the bottom surface of the porous metal support, and wherein the seal is positioned along the periphery of the porous metal support, the seal being impermeable to gas transported in the plane of the porous metal support.
US08409754B2

A positive electrode active material for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprises a powdery metal oxide (LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMn2O4 or the like). When the positive electrode active material is classified with a classification precision index κ of 0.7 or greater so as to obtain a coarse powder having a classification ratio in a range of 0.1% to 5%, a ratio (B/A) of the content (B) of an impurity metal element in the coarse powder obtained by the classification to the content (A) of the impurity metal element in the powder before the classification is 1.5 or less. The contents of the impurity metal elements are compared with respect to Ca, Mn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn and the like (exclusive of the metal element constituting the powdery metal oxide). The positive electrode active material for a secondary cell serves to improve cell performance capabilities and production yields.
US08409753B2

An alkaline storage battery in which an actual reaction area is not reduced after increasing a reaction area is provided. A hydrogen storage alloy negative electrode 11 of an alkaline storage battery 10 of the present invention is formed in a strip form including a long axis and a short axis, in which the ratio (A/B) of a length A (cm) of the long axis to a length B (cm) of the short axis is 20 or more and 30 or less (20≦A/B≦30), and the ratio (X/Y) of an electrolyte volume X (g) retained in the hydrogen storage alloy negative electrode 11 to an electrolyte volume Y (g) retained in a separator 13 is 0.8 or more and 1.1 or less (0.8≦X/Y≦1.1). With this arrangement, an alkaline storage battery with high output characteristics and long-term durability performance is obtained.
US08409752B2

An active material for a battery includes an electrochemically reversibly oxidizable and reducible base material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a lithium-containing alloy, a sulfur-based compound, and a compound that can reversibly form a lithium-containing compound by a reaction with lithium ions and a surface-treatment layer formed on the base material and comprising a compound of the formula MXOk, wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a group 13 element, a group 14 element, a transition metal, and a rare-earth element, X is an element that is capable of forming a double bond with oxygen, k is a numerical value in the range of 2 to 4.
US08409745B2

A terminal pole head for a battery pack comprises a base element, an isolating element and the top element that assembled one upon another, so that the assembly is easy, and the appearance is smooth after assembly. Further, the base element and the top element are isolated more safely. The isolating element covers the main body of the base element with the first and the second connecting portions exposed only, so that it can avoid the occurrence of short circuit of the base element and the top element caused by mistake touch of metal object. In addition, the base element and the top element are formed with the first connecting portions, the second connecting portions, and the connecting plates, so that connecting points are scattered, which is quite important for the big power battery pack, solving the problem of temperature rise due to excessively high single point resistance.
US08409736B2

A cap assembly with desirable safety performance for use in lithium ion batteries, includes an insulating gasket defining a through hole therein, a rupture plate positioned in the through hole, a vent plate defining an air hole electrically connected with the rupture plate, a current interrupt device disposed on the rupture plate, and an end cap defining an air exhaust hole assembled on the current interrupt device. The current interrupt device has an upper conductive plate electrically connected with the end cap, a lower conductive plate electrically connected with the rupture plate, and a fuse electrically connecting the upper conductive plate and the lower conductive plate. When the current intensity in the lithium ion battery exceeds a predetermined value, the fuse melts to cut off the current path.
US08409734B2

Coated substrates having high wear resistant coatings are disclosed. The coatings include at least one layer of either titanium oxycarbonitride or titanium aluminum oxycarbonitride, such that the layer has an oxygen to titanium atomic percent ratio in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.09 and an aluminum to titanium atomic percent ratio in the range of about 0 to about 0.1. The coatings have a hardness to Young's modulus ratio of at least 0.06. The substrate may be a cutting insert. Methods of making such coated substrates are also disclosed in which layers comprising titanium oxycarbonitride or titanium aluminum oxycarbonitride are deposited by medium temperature chemical vapor deposition (MT-CVD) on substrates in the temperature range of about 750 to about 950° C. using a mixture of gases wherein the ratio of the hydrogen gas to the nitrogen gas is greater than 5.
US08409721B2

This invention provides a method for producing a pigment-dispersing resin which contains divalent group(s) represented by a general formula (I): (in which R1 stands for C1-10 alkylene group, m is an integer of 1-30, and the m recurring units,  may be the same or different), phosphoric acid group(s) and/or sulfonic acid group(s), characterized by copolymerizing a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric mixture in a reaction solvent containing at least 30 mass %, based on the total mass of the reaction solvent, of an organic solvent having no hydroxyl group and having a solubility in 20° C. water of at least 100 mass %.
US08409720B2

A multilayer optical body is disclosed. The optical body includes an optical film including polyester, a first skin layer is disposed on at least one side of the polyester optical film, and a strippable skin layer is disposed on the first skin layer. The first skin layer includes a mixture of a polyacrylate and a second polymer. Methods of making such optical bodies are also disclosed.
US08409715B2

The present invention provides a cation-polymerizable resin composition comprising (A) a multi-branched polyether polyol obtained from a ring-opening reaction of (a1) a hydroxyalkyloxetane and (a2) an epoxy compound having one epoxy group, (B) an alicyclic epoxy compound having at least two alicyclic epoxy groups, and (C) an acid generator, which may be used in various uses including, for example, an adhesive agent or tackiness agent for optical elements, various kinds of coating agents and the like.
US08409712B2

An alloy to be surface-coated, which can keep excellent hardness of 58HRC or above even when the amount of an alloying element added is reduced or even when the alloy is heated to a temperature of as high as 400 to 500° C.; and sliding members produced by forming a hard film on the surface of the alloy. An alloy to be surface-coated, the surface of which is to be covered with a hard film, which alloy contains by mass C: 0.5 to 1.2%, Si: 2.0% or below, Mn: 1.0% or below, Cr: 5.0 to 14.0%, Mo+1/2 W: 0.5 to 5.0%, and N: more than 0.015 to 0.1% with the balance being Fe and impurities, preferably such an alloy which contains by mass C: 0.6 to 0.85%, Si: 0.1 to 1.5%, Mn: 0.2 to 0.8%, Cr: 7.0 to 11.0%, Mo+1/2 W: 1.0 to 4.0%, and N: 0.04 to 0.08%.
US08409707B2

The invention relates to an iron-based soft magnetic powder for a dust core, wherein a film comprising Fe and Co, a phosphoric acid-based chemical conversion film and a silicone resin film are formed in this order on the surface of an iron-based soft magnetic powder, and to a dust core obtained by molding the iron-based soft magnetic powder for a dust core. The invention also relates to an iron-based soft magnetic powder for a dust core formed by coating the surface of an iron-based soft magnetic powder with an insulating film, wherein the powder has a particle diameter of from 45 μm to 180 μm, the insulating film is composed of two layers in which a lower layer composed of a phosphoric acid-based chemical conversion film and an upper layer composed of a silicone resin film, and each of the films has a thickness of from 100 nm to 280 nm, and to a dust core obtained by molding the iron-based soft magnetic powder for a dust core.
US08409694B2

A coated glass includes a substrate, a first conductive layer, a metallic layer and a second conductive layer. The first conductive layer is deposited on the substrate. The metallic layer is deposited on the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer is deposited on the metallic layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are consisted of tin oxide, antimony oxide and zinc oxide, zinc oxide has a mole percentage in a range from about 30% to about 50%, antimony oxide has a mole percentage in a range from about 1% to about 5%, and the remaining is tin oxide.
US08409693B2

The invention relates to a data carrier into which, by means of a laser beam, identifiers are introduced that are visible in the form of irreversible changes, caused by the laser beam, in the optical properties of the data carrier. According to the present invention, the data carrier comprises a laser-sensitive layer (20) that is opaque in the visible spectral range, and that is combined with a securing layer (22) that is metallized at least in a sub-area, the identifiers (30, 32) being introduced by the laser beam simultaneously and in perfect register into the laser-sensitive layer (20) and the metallized sub-area (24) of the securing layer (22).
US08409685B2

An optical recording medium includes: a substrate having a first principal surface and a second principal surface; one or plural information signal layers formed on the first principal surface of the substrate for undergoing recording or reproduction of information signals upon irradiation with light; and a barrier layer formed on the second principal surface of the substrate for suppressing the gas release from the second principal surface of the substrate, wherein an area of a region exposing from the barrier layer of the second principal surface of the substrate is not more than 688 mm2.
US08409680B2

This application discloses the use of polyamide-polydiene blends to improve the oxygen reactivity in the presence of ionic polyester compatibilizers.
US08409678B2

A thin metal casing with plastic parts and a manufacturing method thereof are revealed. A thin metal casing already formed having on one surface processed and coated with a decorative outer layer is provided. A thermoplastic rubber (TPR) adhesive layer is disposed on an unprocessed surface of the thin metal casing. The TPR adhesive layer is synthesized by butadiene-styrene block copolymer and hydrocarbon petroleum resin. Then the thin metal casing with the TPR adhesive layer is set and fixed in a cavity of an injection molding mold. Next plastic parts are formed on the TPR adhesive layer of the thin metal casing by plastic injection molding. The plastic parts are melted and connected to the TPR adhesive layer integrally by pressure and temperature of injection material. Simultaneously a part of the TPR adhesive layer is infiltrated into existing micro concave holes on surface of the thin metal casing.
US08409676B2

A compostable sheet material comprising a compostable substrate layer, a first compostable and sealable layer on a first side of the substrate layer, and a second compostable and sealable layer overlying said first sealable layer, wherein the material of the second sealable layer has a lower heat-sealing initiation temperature than the material of the first sealable layer. Also provided are environmentally friendly packages comprising the inventive sheet material, and methods of making such packages.
US08409674B2

The invention relates to an alignment layer for aligning liquid crystal molecules, with improved adhesion to liquid crystal (LC) films, to a composition containing a precursor material used for the preparation of such a layer, to a laminate comprising such a layer and at least one LC polymer film, and to the use of the alignment layer and the laminate for optical, electrooptical, decorative or security uses and devices, wherein the alignment layer and the precursor material comprise at least one reactive mesogen in monomeric, oligomeric or polymeric form.
US08409664B2

Superabsorbent polymer particles, coated with a block copolymer comprising at least four blocks being at least two hard blocks, one soft block and one hydrophilic block, wherein a the soft block is sandwiched between the hard blocks.
US08409663B2

A method for making a heat treatable coated article including a composite oxide coating with ultraviolet (UV) radiation blocking properties is provided. The composite oxide coating may be formed by applying, then optionally curing, a wet coating solution including a mixture of titanium, ceria, and silica to the substrate over an optional infrared (IR) blocking multi-layer coating (e.g., low-E coating). The ceria, titania, and silica may act as UV blocker(s). An organic polymer top coating may be provided over the composite oxide, where the organic polymer may be formed by exposing a photomonomer and/or photopolymer to radiation (e.g., UV radiation). The coated glass substrate may then be subjected to a high temperature heat treatment step. The coating may be heat and/or crack resistant. The coated article may be effective at blocking IR and/or UV radiation in applications such as window applications.
US08409662B2

Disclosed is a method for creating a photoluminescent object that is fabricated by applying to a preformed article, at least one photoluminescent formulation to result in a photoluminescent layer. The at least one photoluminescent formulation comprises at least an effective amount of at least one phosphorescent material and another effective amount of a fluorescent material.
US08409661B2

A process for producing a repair coating on a metallic surface coated with a corrosion protecting coating A applied with a pretreatment composition, an organic composition or a silicon compound containing composition. Corrosion protecting coating A has been at least partially removed in the area Z, and a thin corrosion protecting coating B containing a silicon compound is applied with a solution or dispersion containing a silane, a silanol, a siloxane, a polysiloxane or a mixture thereof on at least a part of the area Z. A further corrosion protecting coating C which is generated with an organic composition like a primer, a wet-primer, an e-coat, a powder coat, a base-coat or a clear-coat or a composition which is the same or another siloxane composition as for the thin film B may also be applied to coating B.
US08409659B2

Metal oxide nanowires and carbon-coated metal nanowires are effective as supports for particles of an expensive catalyst material, such as platinum metal group catalyst. Such supported catalysts are useful when included in an electrode on, for example, a proton exchange membrane in a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell. For example, tin oxide nanowires are formed on carbon fibers of carbon paper and platinum nanoparticles are deposited on the tin oxide nanowires. The nanowires provide good surfaces for effective utilization of the platinum material.
US08409655B2

A process for producing three-dimensional shaped ceramic bodies by layerwise printing of a suspension comprising the constituents required for formation of the shaped ceramic bodies by means of an inkjet printer in the desired two-dimensional shape onto a support material, drying and hardening of the layer composite formed, which is characterized in that printing is effected using a suspension comprising from 50 to 80% by weight of ceramic particles in a dispersion medium comprising an aqueous boehmite sol, at least one low molecular weight alcohol, at least one drying inhibitor and at least one organic fluidizer, and also an apparatus for carrying out this process are described.
US08409648B2

A machine and method operable to mass produce batches of dough in selectable, discrete and customizable batches and control the temperature of the dough under various environmental conditions is provided. The machine and method adjusts the temperature of the water introduced into a batch of dough in order to make a batch of dough having a predetermined temperature. Specifically, the machine includes a controller operable to adjust the temperature of the water based upon first law of thermodynamics to produce a batch of dough having a predetermined temperature. The machine includes a bowl for containing dough ingredients, a water source operable to selectively introduce water with the dough ingredients, a controller, and a water temperature controlling apparatus. The controller actuates the water temperature controlling apparatus to change the temperature of the water introduced into the bowl so as to form a batch of dough having a predetermined temperature.
US08409644B2

A microwavable, refrigerated scrambled egg composition. The composition includes a first component that is frozen precooked egg portions. At least about 50% by weight of the frozen egg portions are pieces that are at least about ½ inch in one dimension. The second component is a slurry including pasteurized liquid egg and pregelatinized modified food starch. The precooked egg portions are from about 50% to about 85% by weight of the total scrambled egg composition and the slurry is from about 15% to about 50% by weight of the total scrambled egg composition. Processes for making and methods of using the microwavable, refrigerated scrambled egg composition are also provided.
US08409632B2

Disclosed herein are a product containing an extract from Zanthoxylum avicennae (Lam.) DC. and a process for preparing the same. Also disclosed herein are a pharmaceutical composition including the aforesaid product containing the extract from Zanthoxylum avicennae (Lam.) DC., a method of treating a cancer in a subject via the aforementioned pharmaceutical composition, and a method of inhibiting tumor/cancer cells by virtue of the aforesaid product containing the extract from Zanthoxylum avicennae (Lam.) DC.
US08409626B2

Described herein are tissue grafts derived from the placenta. The grafts are composed of at least one layer of amnion tissue where the epithelium layer has been substantially removed in order to expose the basement layer to host cells. By removing the epithelium layer, cells from the host can more readily interact with the cell-adhesion bio-active factors located onto top and within of the basement membrane. Also described herein are methods for making and using the tissue grafts. The laminin structure of amnion tissue is nearly identical to that of native human tissue such as, for example, oral mucosa tissue. This includes high level of laminin-5, a cell adhesion bio-active factor show to bind gingival epithelia-cells, found throughout upper portions of the basement membrane.
US08409625B2

The invention provides a composition conditioned for the remodeling, restoration, repair, or replacement of tissue within a host. The composition is conditioned by culturing cells on the matrix and/or by exposing the cultured cells or matrix to one or more stressors.
US08409624B2

The present invention provides an artificial cerebrospinal fluid containing 120 to 160 mEq/L of sodium ion, 1 to 6 mEq/L of potassium ion, 75 to 155 mEq/L of chloride ion, and 5 to 45 mEq/L of bicarbonate ion, and provides an artificial cerebrospinal fluid further containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of 10 g/L or less of a reducing sugar, 5 mmol/L or less of phosphoric acid, 5 mEq/L or less of calcium ion, and 5 mEq/L or less of magnesium ion. The artificial cerebrospinal fluid of the present invention can prevent or reduce the incidence of cerebral edema and can further suppress brain cell disorders when used as an irrigation fluid or perfusion fluid in the field of neurosurgery, such as intracranial surgery, or when used as a replenishing fluid for lost cerebrospinal fluid.
US08409620B2

A method of controlling moss by applying to grass infested with moss a dry composition including: a) a source of nitrogen such as isobutylenediurea or methylene urea; b) a non-ionic surfactant or wetting agent; c) a metal containing salt, and d) an acidic pH adjusting agent effective to adjust the pH of the composition to a pH of between 2.5 and 5 when wetted on grass. The dry composition may be a granular composition, and may be applied by broadcasting over a large area.
US08409617B2

A powder composition containing at least one fat-soluble vitamin dispersed in a matrix of a natural polysaccharide gum or a mixture of gums having an emulsifying capacity and/or a protein or a mixture of proteins having an emulsifying capacity. The fat-soluble vitamin in the powder compositions is in the form of droplets having an average diameter in the range of about 70 to about 200 nm. Tablets, beverages and beverage concentrates, foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals containing the powder composition can be made.
US08409614B2

Oral dosage forms comprising risedronate or a salt thereof, a chelating agent, and means for effecting delayed release of the risedronate (or salt) immediate release of the oral dosage form to the small intestine of the mammal subject and pharmaceutically effective absorption of the bisphosphonate with or without food or beverages. The present invention substantially alleviates the interaction between the risedronate (or salt) and food or beverages, which interaction results in the active ingredient not being available for absorption. The resulting oral dosage form may thus be taken with or without food. Further, disclosed is delivery of risedronate and the chelating agent to the small intestine, substantially alleviating the upper GI irritation associated with bisphosphonate therapies. These benefits simplify previously complex treatment regimens and can lead to increased patient compliance with bisphosphonate therapies.
US08409605B2

A kit for forming a biocompatible material provides a protein solution and a polymer solution including a derivative of a hydrophilic polymer with a functionality of at least three. Upon mixing. the protein solution and the polymer solution cross-link to form a non-liquid, three-dimensional network that degrades over time back to a liquid form. The polymer includes a degradation control region selected to achieve a desired degradation period and a cross-linking group selected to achieve a desired cross-linking period. The kit provides instructions for forming a mixture of the protein solution and polymer solution and for applying the mixture. The mixture serves as the foundation for multiple material composition species, each adapted to a specific therapeutic indication.
US08409588B2

A foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) vaccine and method for producing same is described wherein the N terminal portion of the FMDV polyprotein, encoding the four structural proteins, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, are each separated by a non-FMDV protease, preferably a cellular protease, for example, furin. The expression system may be transformed into a cell expressing the non-FMDV protease and the resulting particles recovered for use as a vaccine.
US08409578B2

Antibodies that interact with osteoprotegerin ligand (OPGL) are described. Methods of treating osteopenic disorders by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of antibodies to OPGL are described. Methods of detecting the amount of OPGL in a sample using antibodies to OPGL are described.
US08409577B2

Multivalent binding peptides, including bi-specific binding peptides, having immunoglobulin effector function are provided, along with encoding nucleic acids, vectors and host cells as well as methods for making such peptides and methods for using such peptides to treat or prevent a variety of diseases, disorders or conditions, as well as to ameliorate at least one symptom associated with such a disease, disorder or condition.
US08409575B2

The invention relates to a purified antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds an Aβ protofibril. The invention further relates to a composition that includes such antibodies. The invention also relates to using such antibodies and compositions for treating a patient having of suspected of having Alzheimer's disease.
US08409574B2

Provided herein are compounds and methods for the treatment of brain cancer in a mammal, wherein the method comprises the administration to the mammal a compound that stabilizes tubulin dimers or microtubles at G2-M interface during mitosis but is not a substrate for MDR protein. In particular, the present application relates to the use of an orally effective abeo-taxane, alone or in combination with temozolomide or bevacizumab, for the treatment of brain cancer.
US08409572B2

The invention concerns a method for obtaining and selecting monoclonal antibodies by an ADDC-type test, said antibodies capable of activating type III Fcy receptors and having a particular glycan structure. The inventive anti-D antibodies can be used for preventing Rhesus isoimmunization in Rh negative persons, in particular for haemolytic disease in a new-born baby of for uses such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
US08409564B2

The present invention relates to the use of the photoactivable derivatives for the photodynamic treatment for the selective destruction and/or inactivation of immunologically reactive cells without affecting the normal cells and without causing systemic toxicity for the patient, wherein appropriate intracellular levels of said derivatives are achieved and irradiation of a suitable wavelength and intensity is applied.
US08409560B2

The present invention relates to formulations and methods for increasing the bioavailability of 1-(4-benzhydrylpiperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenylpropan-1-one, 1-(3,3-diphenylpropanoyl)piperazine, or a salt thereof. In particular, the formulation can include one or more pharmaceutically acceptable matrix polymers to form a solid dispersion, e.g., a spray dried dispersion or a hot melt extrusion.
US08409557B2

The present invention is directed towards various topical protective formulations, which may be used as an adjunct in preventing the spread of a broad range of sexually transmitted diseases. The product is intended to be used as a topical lotion, cream, emulsion, or the like. The film forming excipients and active ingredients in the following formulations have demonstrated unique skin protective barrier properties with enhanced persistence that inhibits transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
US08409553B2

The disclosure relates to a cosmetic composition for the hair, packaged in an aerosol device, comprising polyols in high concentration together with anionic fixing polymers. It further relates to a cosmetic method for the hair comprising the application of this composition to the hair, and to its use for imparting a waxy effect to the hair.
US08409545B2

The process that is the object of the invention describes a process whose purpose is to produce a purified synthesis gas from lignocellulosic biomass that includes a pyrolysis stage, a purification stage placed upstream from the partial oxidation stage, and a cooling stage.
US08409544B2

Disclosed is a process of preparing magnetite nanoparticles, comprising the following steps: 1) preparing a ferric salt mixed system, wherein a soluble ferric salt is dissolved in glycol at ambient temperature, and then urea and polyethylene glycol are added and mixed homogeneously to obtain the trivalent iron salt mixed system, the mass ratio of glycol to the trivalent iron salt being 15:1 to 60:1, glycol to urea being 20:1 to 100:1, and glycol to polyethylene glycol being 20:1 to 100:1; 2) reacting, wherein the trivalent iron salt mixed system is transferred into a reaction autoclave, sealed and placed into a heating device to react at a temperature of 200 to 300° C. for 8 to 72 hours; and 3) washing, wherein after the reaction system is naturally cooled down to ambient temperature, the product is taken out, and washed with anhydrous ethanol and water in turn to obtain the magnetite nanoparticles. The soluble iron salt includes ferric chloride, ferric sulfate, ferric acetate and ferric nitrate. The obtained nanospheres exhibit a uniform distribution of the particle diameter with a good dispersity in water. The nanospheres have superparamagnetism, and their particle diameter can be controlled by varying the reaction time as desired.
US08409542B2

A method and a system for the production of potassium sulfate. The method comprises reacting a chloride of potassium with a magnesium sulfate in an aqueous alcoholic solution, with recycling of magnesium sulfate and production of hydrochloric acid, where the recycling of magnesium is done by a reaction of sulfuric acid on resulting magnesium chloride with corresponding production of magnesium sulfate and hydrochloric acid.
US08409525B1

A system for warning of corrosion, chemical, or radiological substances. The system comprises painting a surface with a paint or coating that includes an indicator material and monitoring the surface for indications of the corrosion, chemical, or radiological substances.
US08409522B2

This invention relates to a technique for adjusting the temperature of a liquid held on an analyzing instrument (1) to a target value. The invention provides a temperature control method wherein thermal energy is supplied to liquid (10) by passing a magnetic flux across an analyzing instrument (1) for raising the temperature of the liquid. The invention also provides an analyzing instrument (1) and analyzing apparatus (X) which are suited to raising the temperature of a liquid (10) using a magnetic flux.
US08409514B2

A method for producing ammonia includes dissolving air in water to obtain a two-phase coexistence aqueous solution with air that is pressurized and heated to a critical state to separate critical state nitrogen, critical state oxygen and critical water from the two-phase coexistence aqueous solution. The critical water is electrolyzed to obtain super critical state hydrogen and super critical state oxygen. The critical state nitrogen reacts with the super critical state hydrogen to produce ammonia. A device for producing ammonia includes a pressurizing member and a heating member mounted between a conversion unit and a mixing unit. The conversion unit outputs a critical state gas. A synthesis unit is connected to the conversion unit by a pipe allowing the critical state gas to flow into the synthesis unit. A gas outlet pipe is connected to the synthesis unit and outputs a synthesis gas from the synthetic unit.
US08409513B2

There is described an apparatus, a tubular laminar flow, plug flow reactor, for making silylamines and particularly trisilylamine (TSA) in high yields from ammonia gas and a monohalosilane gas. The apparatus can be a tubular flow reactor comprising a first portion of the reactor defining a gas entry zone, a second portion of the reactor defining a reaction zone and a third portion of the reactor defining a separation zone, the reaction zone providing a reactant contacting region. Trisilylamine can be recovered in the separation zone in a cold trap collection vessel.
US08409509B2

Systems and methods are provided for analyzing particulates. A liquid having a plurality of particulates substantially linearly ordered in a streamline can be externally controlled to provide flow in first and second directions, where, generally, the first direction is opposite to the second direction. A target particulate can be measured from the plurality of particulates at or near a measurement area while the liquid flows in the first flow direction. The flow direction can be reversed and measured at the measurement area while flowing in the second direction. The particulates substantially retain the same linear order during at least one cycle, a cycle being defined by movement in the first direction followed by movement in the second direction.
US08409508B2

A device is provided for receiving a fluid sample. The device includes a fitment having a cavity formed therein. The cavity is provided under vacuum. The fitment also includes a port having a seal. The port is configured to provide fluid connection from an exterior surface of the fitment to the cavity upon opening of the seal. The device optionally includes a collapsible compartment coupled to the fitment and in fluid communication with the cavity.
US08409506B2

An apparatus for automatic execution of different treatment operations in connection with staining of tissue specimens on microscope slides, wherein the apparatus (1) comprises a loading station (2) for microscope slides (7) with tissue specimens, a number of reagent stations (3) for staining of the tissue specimens on supplied microscope slides, a conveyor (5) for transfer of microscope slides (7) between the stations (3) in accordance with a staining program, an unloading station (10) for treated microscope slides, and a control unit (19) for controlling the treatment operations in accordance with a data program. The apparatus comprise a photo station (25) with a digital camera (26) for automatic photographing with a background light source of the finished treated tissue specimens on supplied microscope slides (7). The camera is connected to the control unit (19) of the apparatus and the control unit is arranged to store the picture of each individual tissue specimen and information which is located on the relevant microscopic slide (7) and preferably also information about the staining program and status of reagents at the reagent stations (3) for automatic transmission of the information to a place for result analysis.
US08409502B2

A compliant blood gas exchanger is provided including a housing having a first end cap, a second end cap, and an elastomeric sidewall or sleeve extending there between forming a chamber. A hollow fiber assembly is disposed in the chamber. The hollow fiber assembly has a first mounting collar, a second mounting collar and a plurality of hollow fibers disposed there between. The first end cap is disposed in communication with the first mounting collar and the second end cap is disposed in communication with the second mounting collar. The end caps are connected to a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The chamber is in communication with a blood inlet and a blood outlet. The elastomeric sidewall is responsive to internal and external pressures affecting the chamber. The first chamber can also be placed adjacent to a second chamber and both chambers placed within a rigid outer housing. Thus, a dual-chamber pulsatile blood gas exchanger can be provided. That is, the second chamber may be in connection with a pump mechanism or vacuum mechanism such that the chamber creates a pulsatile flow within the first chamber.
US08409497B2

A method and apparatus for producing high strength aluminum alloys from a powder containing Ll2 intermetallic dispersoids. The powder is degassed, sealed under vacuum in a container, consolidated by vacuum hot pressing, extruded into a rolling preform and rolled into a usable part.
US08409493B2

Embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for leaching material from an object. Examples include leaching ceramic from metallic components. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for leaching systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
US08409491B1

A tough ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTC) composite comprises grains of UHTC matrix material, such as HfB2, ZrB2 or other metal boride, carbide, nitride, etc., surrounded by a uniform distribution of acicular high aspect ratio reinforcement ceramic rods or whiskers, such as of SiC, is formed from uniformly mixing a powder of the UHTC material and a pre-ceramic polymer selected to form the desired reinforcement species, then thermally consolidating the mixture by hot pressing. The acicular reinforcement rods may make up from 5 to 30 vol % of the resulting microstructure.
US08409487B2

Processes for manufacturing hollow structures such as spars for helicopter rotor blades, fixed wings for aircraft, and other aerostructures can include the provision of a path for gases to exit the material from which the spar is formed as the material is heated and cured, to help eliminate voids within the material caused by the presence of such gases.
US08409485B2

A method for manufacturing a tubular body, includes: attaching a first member to an outer or inner peripheral surface of one end in an axial direction of a cylindrical core, along a circumferential direction of the peripheral surface thereof; applying a first resin solution on the peripheral surface, to cover it and the peripheral surface of one end of the first member closer to the center of the core, and to form a coating (first coat film); attaching a second member to the peripheral surface of the end of the first coat film on the side where the first member has been attached; applying a second resin solution on the peripheral surface of the first coat film, to cover it and the peripheral surface of the end of the second member closer to the center, and to form a coating (second coat film); peeling off the first and second members.
US08409474B2

The use of polycyclic phenolic compounds which have up to 20 benzene rings per molecule and are obtainable by reacting a tetrahydrobenzoxazine I where R1 is a hydrocarbyl radical and R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently hydrogen atoms, hydroxyl groups or hydrocarbyl radicals with one or more of the same or different phenols II where R7, R8, R9 and R10 are each independently hydrogen atoms, hydroxyl groups or hydrocarbyl radicals, and/or with one or more of the same or different tetrahydrobenzoxazines I, with the proviso that at least one of the substituents has from 13 to 3000 carbon atoms and the remaining substituents, when they are hydrocarbyl radicals, have in each case from 1 to 20 carbon atoms as stabilizers for stabilizing inanimate organic material against the action of light, oxygen and heat.
US08409470B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an inorganic phosphor having fluorescence properties emitting an orange or red light which has a longer wavelength as compared with the cases of conventional sialon phosphors activated with a rare earth.The invention relates to a design of white light-emitting diode rich in a red component and having good color-rendering properties by employing a solid solution crystal phase phosphor which uses as a host crystal an inorganic compound having the same crystal structure as that of a CaSiAlN3 crystal phase and to which M (wherein M is one or two or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb) is added as an emission center.
US08409466B2

A composition comprising at least one ionized silicate mineral and water, wherein the at least one ionized silicate mineral is solvated in water, and wherein decomposition comprises an ionized germanium dioxide, its method of making, and its method of using are disclosed. While the composition is subject to a wide range of applications, it is especially suited for use in a coolant system for a combustion engine, and in particular, the coolant system for an internal combustion engine for vehicles.
US08409462B2

A method for manufacturing surgical blades from either a crystalline or poly-crystalline material, preferably in the form of a wafer, is disclosed. The method includes preparing the crystalline or poly-crystalline wafers by mounting them and machining trenches into the wafers. The methods for machining the trenches, which form the bevel blade surfaces, include a diamond blade saw, laser system, ultrasonic machine, and a hot forge press. The wafers are then placed in an etchant solution which isotropically etches the wafers in a uniform manner, such that layers of crystalline or poly-crystalline material are removed uniformly, producing single or double bevel blades. Nearly any angle can be machined into the wafer which remains after etching. The resulting radii of the blade edges is 5-500 nm, which is the same caliber as a diamond edged blade, but manufactured at a fraction of the cost.
US08409453B1

A method and system for fabricating magnetic recording transducer are described. The magnetic recording transducer has a main pole, a nonmagnetic gap covering the main pole, and a field region distal from the main pole. A portion of the nonmagnetic gap resides on the top of the main pole. The method and system include providing a patterned seed layer. A thick portion of the patterned seed layer is thicker than a thin portion of the patterned seed layer. At least part of the thick portion of the patterned seed layer resides on a portion of the field region. A wrap-around shield is on the patterned seed layer. At least part of the thin portion of the patterned seed layer is in proximity to and exposed by the wrap-around shield. The method and system also include field etching the field region distal from the wrap-around shield.
US08409442B2

A system for treating fractionated water from an oil and gas well. The system comprising a filter system, a diffusive membrane system, a plurality of membrane sensors, and at least one membrane controller. The filter system is fluidly connected to the diffusive membrane system, wherein the filter system comprises a plurality of straining filter banks. The diffusive membrane system comprises a plurality of membrane banks each having an inlet and an outlet. The plurality of membrane sensors are positioned at the outlet of each of the plurality of membrane banks, and the plurality of membrane sensors are configured to detect the total dissolved solids level at the outlet of each of the plurality of membrane banks. The at least one membrane controller is programmed to selectively disengage and isolate at least one of the plurality of membrane banks from fluid communication with the system upon detection if the total dissolved solids level at the outlet of one or more of the membrane banks is above about 20,000 ppm. A method is also provided.
US08409435B2

A pump in fluid communication with the outlet of a fluid purification apparatus. A pump may furthermore provide fluid to the inlet of the fluid purification apparatus. An embodiment includes a fluid driven rotating inlet device in fluid communication with the inlet of the fluid purification apparatus and an outlet impeller in fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid purification apparatus.
US08409432B2

Installation for the treatment of municipal and/or industrial wastewaters comprising a basin that receives the water to be treated and a series of discs (4) having a packing (G) that are parallel and vertical, mounted on a horizontal shaft (5), partially submerged in the water to be treated, and rotated so that the biomass which grows on the surface of the packing of the discs is alternately brought into contact with the water to be treated and oxygen from the air. The configuration of the packing (G) of the discs (4) is chosen so that the developed surface area of the packing in one zone of the disc increases with the distance from this zone to the axis of rotation (X-X).
US08409431B2

Intended is to reduce pressure fluctuations across a filter (14) for filtering a resist liquid. A charging apparatus is provided including a charge liquid tank (2) of resist liquid, a feed pump (10), a charge nozzle (8), a recovery passage (16), a recovery valve (20) disposed in the recovery passage (16), the filter (14), and a control device (24) for controlling the servomotors to adjust the openings of the charge valve (12) and the recovery valve (20) so that the pressures on the upstream side and the downstream side of the filter (14) may not fluctuate.
US08409429B2

In order to provide a filter device for filtering a fluid medium containing solids, comprising a backflushing filter and a flushing line, by means of which fluid backflushed during a backflushing phase from the backflushing filter can be supplied to a further treatment mechanism, in which the discharging of dirt from the backflushing filter is simplified, it is proposed that the backflushing filter should have a coarse dirt outlet which is connected to the flushing line so that coarse dirt which has arrived through the coarse dirt outlet into the flushing line can be supplied to the further treatment mechanism together with the backflushed fluid during the backflushing phase.
US08409421B2

The present invention relates to an electrolytic process for producing metallic lead starting from desulfurized lead pastel comprising the following operative phases: a) leaching the desulfurized pastel by putting it in contact with a solution comprising ammonium chloride, with the formation of a leach liquor and evolution of gaseous CO2; b) separating a first solid residue and a first clarified leach liquor from the leach liquor coming from phase a); c) leaching the solid residue separated in phase b) by putting it in contact with a solution comprising ammonium chloride and hydrogen peroxide; d) separating a second solid residue and a second clarified leach liquor from the leach liquor coming from phase c); e) joining the first clarified leach liquor coming from phase b) with the second clarified leach liquor coming from phase d) and forming a single solution; f) subjecting the solution leaving phase e) to electrolysis in a flow cell, with a current density ranging from 50 to 10,000 A/m2, said electrolysis resulting in the formation of a lead sponge. The present invention also relates to the relative desulfurization process of the pastel.
US08409415B2

A device for manipulating magnetic or magnetizable objects in a medium is provided. The device has a surface lying in a plane and comprises a set of at least two conductors electrically isolated from each other, wherein the at least two conductors are adapted for both generating a magnetophoresis force for moving the magnetic or magnetizable objects over the surface of the device in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the surface, and generating a dielectrophoresis force for moving the magnetic or magnetizable objects in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the surface. Also provided is a method for manipulating magnetic or magnetizable objects in a medium. The method uses a combined magnetophoresis and dielectrophoresis actuation principle for controlling in-plane as well as out-of-plane movement of the magnetic or magnetizable objects.
US08409412B2

The invention provides an enzyme ink useful in test strips that provides a test strip bias, at the low and high glucose ends, falling within a desired target range. The ink of the invention permits an improved method for the production of single calibration code strip lots with good yields.
US08409410B2

Sensor device for ion channel recordings; liquid-liquid measurements and resistive pulse particle counting comprising; at least one sensor element; the element comprising a diamond thin film substrate and a pore which is a nanopore or a micropore included in the substrate. This device may be used in analysis, for instance the device may be used for single molecule detection of an apialyte (e.g. DNA), for the analysis of interactions between a sensor element and an analyte, for the detection of pore forming entities, or for the determination of ion transfer.
US08409403B2

Flame retardant and water resistant products are produced from bio-based materials such as lignin cellulose containing materials. The lignin cellulose materials are modified by the method of delignification. The method of this invention utilizes an amino compound in an aqueous solution to react with the lignin in the lignin cellulose and the amino lignin and freed lignin becomes water soluble. The amino compound also reacts with the non-water soluble lignin still attached to the cellulose and also to the cellulose that is produced. Other products are produced in this method such as carbohydrates, hemi-cellulose, rosins, waxes, alcohols and other products. The amino lignin, lignin, amino lignin and amino cellulose is reacted with many organic and inorganic compounds such as aldehydes, polyisocyanates, epoxies, polycarboxylic acids, vegetable oils and many other compounds to produce resins and adhesives which may be used to produce products such as molded products, particleboard, plywood, ABS, etc. which are flame retardant and water resistant.
US08409401B2

There are provided an aqueous solution for separation of a dark ceramics sintered body, which can easily collect in a recyclable condition a glass from a glass with a dark ceramics sintered body, and a separating method therefor, and an aqueous solution for separation with which a dark ceramics sintered body, a conductive ceramics sintered body and a glass are separately collected from a glass with a dark ceramics sintered body formed with the dark ceramics sintered body and the conductive ceramics sintered body, and a separating method therefor. A treatment liquid (hydrofluoric acid, a mixture of ammonium fluoride and an acid, etc.) having an etching ability for at least one of a glass and a dark ceramic sintered body is prepared as an aqueous solution 20 for separation of the dark ceramics sintered body, then type A treatment liquid is charged in a container 11, and a glass with a dark ceramics sintered body 30 is placed in the container 11.
US08409392B2

The present invention pertains to a method of manufacturing ultra-thin and elastic keypad, especially comprising the processing of the elastic film, silicone adhesive, and plastic film. Wherein, the present method simply takes advantage of the steps of printing, oil pressing, and trimming to easily finish the keypad, which favorably avoids the complex process of spraying P+R, deviation from the forming of IMD products, and defectiveness of spraying and cutting applied on silicone products. Manifestly, the present invention simplifies the intricate processes, and only oil-pressing die and punching die are involved, namely less equipment and fewer personnel as well as places are required. Therefore, the present invention is uncomplicated and low-cost.
US08409390B2

A method for contamination-free docking of a first at least partially flexible receptacle to a second at least partially flexible receptacle. The receptacles include, at least in part, films having outer sides that can be solidly welded, and inner sides can be detachably welded. According to the described system, a solid connection between the receptacles is produced outside the detachably welded inner sides in order to create a channel between the receptacles. The channel is opened by loosening the connection between the inner sides.
US08409388B2

A system for manufacturing an optical display device includes an optical display unit feeding apparatus with a counting section counting the number of optical display units fed, an optical film feeding apparatus with a roll exchanging section exchanging a roll of a previous category for a roll of a latter category and joining the optical films on each, a bonding apparatus bonding a cut optical film onto a surface of an optical display unit, and a controller storing the number N of optical display units that are bonded correspondingly with the optical films that are present from a joining position to a bonding position of the optical film, and stops the apparatuses when the number of remaining sheets of the optical display units of the previous category prior to bonding becomes substantially equal to the number N at the time of exchanging categories based on information from the counting section.
US08409376B2

Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to compositions, methods, devices, systems, and products regarding frozen particles. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles include materials at low temperatures. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles provide vehicles for delivery of particular agents. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles are administered to at least one biological tissue.
US08409371B2

A method for producing a soft magnetic metal powder coated with a Mg-containing oxide film, comprising the steps of adding and mixing a Mg powder with a soft magnetic metal powder which has been subjected to heating treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of 40 to 500° C. to obtain a mixed powder, and heating the mixed powder at a temperature of 150 to 1,100° C. in an inert gas or vacuum atmosphere under a pressure of 1×10−12 to 1×10−1 MPa, while optionally tumbling; and a method for producing a composite soft magnetic material from the soft magnetic metal powder coated with a Mg-containing oxide film.
US08409353B2

A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.
US08409344B2

Cement compositions and methods for making cement compositions are provided. The cement compositions can comprise at least one oxide having a particle size of less than about 600 nm. The methods for making cement may include: providing a mixture of compounds containing the required calcium, silicon, aluminum, and iron to provide at least one of tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, tetracalcium aluminoferrite, other calcium silicates, aluminates, ferrites, and silicates or combinations thereof; adding a fuel source and an oxidizer to the mixture of compounds; and heating the mixture of compounds, the fuel source, and the oxidizer such that the mixture of compounds, the fuel source, and the oxidizer ignite to form the at least one tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, and tetracalcium aluminoferrite, or combinations thereof.
US08409334B2

Method and apparatus for producing an oxygenated fluid. In accordance with various embodiments, a vessel of water is provided for housing a population of fish. A stream of oxygenated water is generated to have a dissolved oxygen content of at least about 70 milligrams/liter (mg/l). The stream of oxygenated water is diluted with a second stream of water to provide an output stream with a dissolved oxygen content of from about 5 mg/l to about 14 mg/l. The output stream is injected into the vessel to maintain the population of fish.
US08409333B2

Process for the recovery of ethylene oxide (EO) from fat absorbent (FA) which comprises providing a feed of elevated temperature FA to an EO Stripper, providing a stripping gas feed and contacting the stripping gas feed at elevated temperature with the elevated temperature FA feed, obtaining stripped lean absorbent (LA) and an EO-containing gas, and providing one or more external process stream feeds to the EO Stripper at a location above the elevated temperature FA feed and at a lower temperature with respect to the elevated temperature FA feed thereby concentrating EO in the EO-containing gas. The process can also include one or more impurity removal stages in the form of one or more side draws from the EO Stripper or an EO Stripper Concentrator. The invention also includes an apparatus for performing the process.
US08409327B2

An electrostatic filter assembly configured to be installed in equipment for removing particulate matter entrained within a gas stream. The filter assembly functions in the removal and collection of the particulate matter from the gas stream. The equipment for removing particulate matter includes a high voltage discharge electrode for imparting an electric charge to the particulate matter whereby an electrical field is produced at the filter assembly. The filter assembly includes a filter element and a supporting structure for the filter element. The supporting structure is configured to establish at the filter assembly, under the operating conditions of the equipment for removing particulate matter, an electrical field having an intensity that produces no more than a selected amount of degradation at the filter element during operation of the equipment for removing particulate matter. Also a method of manufacturing such an electrostatic filter assembly.
US08409322B2

Process for agglomerating industrial dusts comprises: kneading in a vat the dusts to be agglomerated in the presence of a first binder comprising a polymer with a molecular weight above 500,000 g/mol, which is in the form of a reverse emulsion; then adding to the vat separately, while still kneading, a second binder comprising a silicate of an alkaline metal; and finally compacting the resulting agglomerates under pressure.
US08409320B2

A process for producing a foamed slag on austenitic stainless melts in an electric arc furnace. A mixture of metal oxides and carbon is introduced into the furnace, the metal oxide is reduced by the carbon below the slag at the metal/slag interface, and the resulting gases bring about the foaming of the slag by bubble formation. The mixture to be charged, which is added in the form of preforms such as briquets or pellets, contains iron oxide, iron carriers, carbon and the required binders in addition to nickel oxide.
US08409317B2

A filter assembly for filtering fluids includes a housing having a base and a cover having guide structure for assembly. The guide structure may also provide gasket retention.
US08409315B2

A muffler is provided that air or gas flows through to attenuate acoustic oscillations and reduce sound levels. An inner vortex and an outer vortex are created within the device that reduce noise within the rotating flow of gases. The gases flow in the outer vortex from an inlet in a live end of the housing toward a dead end of the housing. A projection is provided in the dead end of the housing that creates a low pressure area that causes the formation of the inner vortex flowing from the dead end toward the live end to an outlet.
US08409301B1

As disclosed, a toss-dye random clothing design system and method comprises at least one article of clothing worn by a runner at a race, a sporting event, a corporate or collegiate event, a fashion party, a production plant shift and the like, a plurality of colored dyes provided at a plurality of throwing stations, at least one thrower positioned at a throwing station to throw the dyes onto the clothing as the runner passes by the throwing station, and a random pattern of throw-dye on the clothing based on a confluence of the thrown colored dyes and a path the runner takes there through. Embodiments of the disclosure may include a throw-dye configured to stick to the clothing article(s) in places where moisture is present and a template configured to block the thrown dyes from making contact with the clothing and thereby outline a corporate or collegiate logo thereon.
US08409291B2

A spinal implant particularly adapted for lateral expansion while disposed in the disc space between adjacent vertebrae. The implant includes a first frame member pivotally linked to a second frame member via at least one, and preferably multiple, pivoting links. The implant may be inserted into the disc space in a collapsed configuration using a lateral approach, and then expanded in the anterior-posterior direction (lateral to insertion direction) to a deployed configuration where the first and second frame members are farther apart. The implant may be expanded by holding one frame member and pushing on the other frame member or one or more proximal links linking the two frame members.
US08409289B2

An orthopedic implant comprising a deformable, expandable implant body configured for treating abnormalities in bones, such as compression fractures of vertebra, necrosis of femurs and the like. An exemplary implant body comprises a small cross-section threaded element that is introduced into a bone region and thereafter is expanded into a larger cross-section, monolithic assembly to provide a bone support. In one embodiment, the implant body is at least partly fabricated of a magnesium alloy that is biodegradable to allow for later tissue ingrowth.
US08409287B2

Intervertebral prosthetic systems, devices, and associated methods are provided. The present disclosure provides top and bottom endplates that engage the lateral walls of the vertebral bodies for stability and incorporate a compliant core, ball-and-socket core, fusion-cage core, or any other suitable type of motion-preserving or fusion cores. The endplate designs allow insertion through a unilateral approach yet still have engagement on both sides of the vertebral body to provide stability and reduce the risk of subsidence. In some instances, saddle style endplates are inserted and then rotated to engage the lateral walls of the vertebral bodies. In other instances, hinged style endplates are inserted in a first orientation and then at least one end portion is pivoted to a second orientation so that the endplates engage the lateral walls of the vertebral bodies.
US08409284B2

Systems for minimally invasive disc augmentation include an anulus augmentation component and a nucleus augmentation component. Both are suited for minimally invasive deployment. The nucleus augmentation component restores disc height and/or replaces missing nucleus pulposus. The anulus augmentation component shields weakened regions of the anulus fibrosis and/or resists escape of natural nucleus pulposus and/or the augmentation component. Methods and deployment devices are also disclosed. Method of supporting and augmenting a nucleus pulposus by inserting a flexible biocompatible material into the disc space using an anchoring means are also provided.
US08409282B2

Devices, systems and methods for dynamically stabilizing the spine are provided. The devices include an expandable spacer having an undeployed configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein the spacer has axial and radial dimensions for positioning between the spinous processes of adjacent vertebrae. The systems include one or more spacers and a mechanical actuation means for delivering and deploying the spacer. The methods involve the implantation of one or more spacers within the interspinous space.
US08409280B2

The present invention relates to a breast prosthesis having at least one contact surface which is intended for contact on a body surface, with the contact surface having at least one means by means of which air circulation and/or an exchange of air can be achieved between the contact surface and the body surface.
US08409277B2

One example scleral prosthesis includes a first free end and a second free end, each wider than a middle portion of the scleral prosthesis. Multiple first portions form the first end of the scleral prosthesis. The first portions are separated along at least half of a length of the scleral prosthesis. Multiple second portions may form the second end of the scleral prosthesis, and the second portions may be separated along less than a quarter of the length of the scleral prosthesis. An implantation device can be used to facilitate implantation of a scleral prosthesis. The implantation device includes a first end portion configured to be inserted into a scleral tunnel of an eye. The implantation device also includes a second end portion configured to receive the scleral prosthesis. A rod with a tapered and rounded end can be partially inserted into the first end portion of the implantation device.
US08409276B2

A heart assist device comprising a rotary pump housing having a cylindrical bore, a pumping chamber and a motor stator including an electrically conductive coil located within the housing and surrounding a portion of the cylindrical bore. A rotor has a cylindrical shaft, at least one impeller appended to one end of the shaft, and a plurality of magnets located within the shaft. The rotor shaft is positioned within the housing bore with the magnets opposite the motor stator, and the impeller is positioned within the pumping chamber. The housing bore is closely fitted to the outer surface of the shaft forming a hydrodynamic journal bearing, with the pumping chamber and journal bearing connected by a leak path of blood flow between the pumping chamber and the journal bearing. A backiron of the motor stator attracts the rotor magnets to resist longitudinal displacement of the rotor within the housing during operation. The relative orientation of positions of the inflow, outflow, and leakage flow paths may be varied within the pump, such as to accommodate different intended methods for implantation and/or use.
US08409270B2

The invention relates to an implantable radiopaque stent adapted to be disposed in a body lumen. In one aspect of the invention, a plurality of elongate filaments including one or more radiopaque filaments are arranged to form a hollow tubular structure having a tubular wall that defines an inner surface and an outer surface and opposing first open end and second open end. One of the open ends of the stent is formed by an intersection of adjacent filament ends. A radiopaque compound is applied to the intersection, the radiopaque compound comprising radiopaque material and polymeric material. The radiopaque compound and radiopaque filament provide improved external imaging of the tubular structure on imaging equipment.
US08409262B2

The present invention provides a composition used for increasing calmodulin and a method thereof. A far-infrared ray is released by a far-infrared releasing substance in the composition so as to induce intracellular calmodulin concentration increased in organisms. The far-infrared releasing substance consists of ceramic minerals and mainly comprises 80-99.9 wt % of oxide minerals including 60-95 wt % of the mineral alumina. The far-infrared releasing substance according to the present invention has the advantages of easy to carry and continuously working, so as to significantly improve the shortcoming of drugs with short-term acting.
US08409259B1

A cervical plate system (1) and method for use in the fixation of a spine comprising a fixation plate (2) having an aperture (3) extending from a top surface (5) to a bottom surface (19) and dimensioned for admitting at least a portion of a bone fixation element (4) shank (15) therethrough, a slot (7) extending into the bottom surface (19), and a lock (11) affixed adjacent the fixation plate bottom surface (19) for rotation relative to the fixation plate (2).
US08409258B2

An intravertebral device for modulating vertebral growth without changing spinal mobility or compressing the intervertebral disc. By implanting the device around the vertebral growth plate, on the convex side of the curvature, a compression is induced on one side of the growth plate during the vertebral growth. This local growth modulation decreases significantly the vertebral wedging and corrects the global deformity of the spine. The device provides a minimally invasive and fusionless way of correcting spinal curvatures while preserving the intervertebral disc.
US08409244B2

The invention provides surgical or diagnostic tools and associated methods that offer user control for operating remotely within regions of the body: In some embodiments these tools include a proximally-located actuator for the operation of a distal end effector, as well as proximally-located actuators for articulational and rotational movements of the end effector. Control mechanisms and methods refine operator control of end effector actuation and of these articulational and rotational movements. A force limiter mechanism protects the end effector and manipulated objects from the harm of potentially excessive force applied by the operator. A multi-state ratchet for end effector actuation provides enablement-disablement options with tactile feedback. An articulation lock allows the fixing and releasing of both neutral and articulated configurations of the tool and of consequent placement of the end effector. A rotation lock provides for enablement and disablement of rotatability of the end effector.
US08409243B2

The present invention is directed to a medical device, such as an endoscopic device, configured to be loaded into a channel of an endoscope prior to insertion of the endoscope into a body, and a method of performing an operative procedure with an endoscopic device. The endoscopic device comprises an elongate member for insertion into the channel of the endoscope, wherein a length of the elongate member is greater than a length of the channel of the endoscope. The endoscopic device also comprises a distal assembly connected to a distal portion of the elongate member and operable to perform an endoscopic operation, wherein the distal assembly has an open configuration and a closed configuration with a profile larger than a diameter of the channel of the endoscope, wherein the distal assembly is adapted to be exterior to the channel when the endoscope is inserted into the body.
US08409241B2

A compact blood clot filter having an alignment section that overlaps with a filter section in an axial direction is provided. The filter section has filter struts that extend radially and longitudinally from a hub. The alignment section has alignment struts in which the downstream end of each alignment strut forms a downstream junction with the downstream end of an adjacent alignment strut while the upstream end of each alignment strut forms an upstream junction with the upstream end of an adjacent alignment strut.
US08409232B2

A surgical instrument assembly configurable for performing a dermatotomy in a percutaneous procedure and further configurable for performing cuts in open surgery includes a pointed scalpel blade and a hollow sheath body disposed to encapsulate the pointed scalpel blade inside a longitudinal instrument cavity to protect a user. The hollow sheath body is supported for longitudinal translation with respect to the scalpel blade. The hollow sheath may be positioned and locked at a first position to completely encapsulate the scalpel blade inside the instrument cavity for safe handling. The hollow sheath body is movable to second and third positions with different lengths of the surgical instrument extending out through a front face of the hollow sheath body. A compression spring biases the hollow sheath body toward the first safety position.
US08409230B2

A microfracture instrument for applying microfracture therapy to a bone, the microfracture instrument comprising: an elongated shaft comprising a distal end and a proximal end; a needle comprising a body terminating in at least one sharp point, the needle being movably mounted to the distal end of the shaft for movement between an extended position for engaging the bone with the at least one sharp point of the needle and a retracted position for withdrawing the at least one sharp point of the needle from the bone; and a drive shaft movably mounted to the elongated shaft, the drive shaft being connected to the body of the needle so that movement of the drive shaft relative to the elongated shaft moves the needle between its extended position and its retracted position.
US08409223B2

An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
US08409219B2

A method of placing an electrical lead of an implantable cardiac device inside a heart of a patient. The method includes securing a tool to an atrial appendage of the heart to hold onto the atrial appendage, piercing the atrial appendage, and creating an aperture in the atrial appendage while holding the atrial appendage with the tool. The method also includes moving a distal end of the electrical lead into the heart through the aperture in the atrial appendage and into a ventricle of the heart. Furthermore, the method includes coupling the distal end of the electrical lead to cardiac tissue in the ventricle and delivering an electrical signal to the cardiac tissue in the ventricle of the heart to maintain a predetermined heartbeat of the heart.
US08409218B2

The present invention improves significantly the success rate of lithotripsy and reduces the risk of tissue damage, by injecting a temporary plug in front, and optionally behind a concretion (for extracorporeal lithotripsy) or behind a concretion (for intracorporeal lithotripsy). One aspect of the present invention relates to injecting an inverse thermosensitive polymer solution into a lumen, thereby preventing the migration of a concretion, or its fragments, upon extracorporeal or intracorporeal lithotripsy.
US08409210B2

A total knee arthroplasty (TKA) set that includes a universal cutting jig for shaping the distal femur is disclosed, along with corresponding TKA methods. The universal cutting jig may be used to create a shaped femur that can receive multiple and different TKA implant designs. A universal high flexion knee system adapted for left-right use is also disclosed.
US08409208B2

Methods and devices are configured to permit a surgeon to access the anterior column of the spine without significant manipulation of intervening nerve elements.
US08409207B2

A surgical procedure according to which a cutting device is connected in a spaced relationship to an anchor, and the anchor is located over a first area of the bone. The distance between the cutting device and the anchor is adjusted so that the cutting device extends over a second area of the bone, and the anchor is driven into the first area of the bone so that the cutting device cuts into the second area.
US08409195B2

An ablation device includes a cannula having a lumen, a first array of electrodes deployable from within the lumen, and a second array of electrodes deployable from within the lumen, wherein the first array of electrodes has a configuration that is different from a configuration of the second array of electrodes.
US08409179B2

A system for performing intrastromal ophthalmic laser surgery requires Laser Induced Optical Breakdown (LIOB) of stromal tissue without compromising Bowman's capsule (membrane). In detail, the system is computer-controlled to create symmetrical cuts in the stroma relative to a defined axis of the eye. Importantly, these cuts are all distanced from the axis. The actual location and number of cuts in the surgery will depend on the degree of visual aberration being corrected. Further, the system may create different types of cuts in the stroma. For example, the symmetrical cuts (by type) may include cylindrical, radial or annular layer cuts. The different type cuts may be intersecting or non-intersecting depending on the visual aberration being treated.
US08409178B2

Treatment table verification techniques involve comparing intended refraction information with expected optical refraction information, and validating or qualifying the treatment table based on such comparisons. Systems and methods for verifying treatment tables provide enhanced safety for laser vision correction treatments.
US08409173B2

The invention relates to a holding device for medical purposes having a carrier arm on whose distal end at least one medical instrument can be secured and having at least one joint for positioning the carrier arm and/or the medical instrument, wherein the at least one joint can be transferred between a position that releases the joint and a position that blocks the joint and wherein the at least one joint is coupled with a touch sensor for actuating the joint. To produce a holding device for medical purposes that ensures simple construction, simple handling, and reliable positionability, it is proposed with the invention that the sensor should be coupled with the medical instrument mounted on the distal end of the carrier arm.
US08409170B2

The illustrative embodiments described herein are directed to an apparatus and method for managing reduced pressure at a tissue site. The apparatus includes a reduced pressure source that generates reduced pressure. The reduced pressure is delivered to the tissue site via a delivery tube. The apparatus includes a single pressure sensor. The single pressure sensor detects an actual reduced pressure at the tissue site. The apparatus also includes a controller. The controller determines a responsiveness of the actual reduced pressure measured by the single pressure sensor to an increase in reduced pressure generated by the reduced pressure source. The apparatus includes an indicator. The indicator emits a signal when the controller determines that the actual reduced pressure measured by the single pressure sensor is nonresponsive to the increase in reduced pressure generated by the reduced pressure source.
US08409168B2

Methods, systems and devices are provided for performing lung volume reduction in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other conditions where isolation of a lung segment or reduction of lung volume is desired. The methods are minimally invasive with instruments being introduced through the mouth (endotracheally) and rely on isolating the target lung tissue segment from other regions of the lung and occluding various lung passageways with the use of occlusal stents. The occlusal stents are delivered with the use of an occlusal stent delivery system which is loaded with the occlusal stent with the use of an occlusal stent loading system.
US08409166B2

Methods and devices are disclosed for selective delivery of therapeutic substances to specific histologic or microanatomic areas of organs. Introduction of the therapeutic substance into a hollow organ space (such as an hepatobiliary duct or the gallbladder lumen) at a controlled pressure, volume or rate allows the substance to reach a predetermined cellular layer (such as the ephithelium or sub-epithelial space). The volume or flow rate of the substance can be controlled so that the intralumenal pressure reaches a predetermined threshold level beyond which subsequent subepithelial delivery of the substance occurs. Alternatively, a lower pressure is selected that does not exceed the threshold level, so that delivery occurs substantially only to the epithelial layer. Such site specific delivery of therapeutic agents permits localized delivery of substances (for example to the interstitial tissue of an organ) in concentrations that may otherwise produce systemic toxicity. Occlusion of venous or lymphatic drainage from the organ can also help prevent systemic administration of therapeutic substances, and increase selective delivery to superficial epithelial cellular layers. Delivery of genetic vectors can also be better targeted to cells where gene expression is desired. The access device comprises a cannula with a wall piercing tracar within the lumen. Two axially spaced inflatable balloons engage the wall securing the cannula and sealing the puncture site. A catheter equipped with an occlusion balloon is guided through the cannula to the location where the therapeutic substance is to be delivered.
US08409151B2

An infusion system includes a disposable wearable infusion device and a filler device. The disposable infusion device has a body arranged to be adhered to a patient's skin and a reservoir for holding a liquid medicant to be infused into the patient. The filler device is arranged to detachably receive the infusion device body and to transfer a volume of the liquid medicant to the infusion device reservoir. The filler device may be part of a service device arranged to detachably receive the infusion device and which also includes a cannula driver and a cannula for providing the infusion device with a cannula and deploying the cannula to beneath a patient's skin.
US08409146B2

A surgical access apparatus includes a housing member and a portal member extending from the housing member and defining a longitudinal axis. The housing member and the portal member define a longitudinal passage therethrough dimensioned to permit passage of an elongated object. A centering mechanism is mounted relative to the housing member. The centering mechanism includes an annular element mounted for rotational movement within the housing member and about the longitudinal axis and first and second arm elements mounted to the annular element and extending radially inwardly relative to the longitudinal axis. The first and second arm elements are each positioned to intersect the longitudinal passage and are adapted to pivot relative to the housing member. The first and second arm elements are operatively connected whereby pivotal movement of the first arm element upon engagement with the elongated object causes the annular element to rotate in response thereto and effect corresponding pivotal movement of the second arm element.
US08409144B2

A device for facilitating the use or application of skin penetrators, the device including a puncturing part for piercing the skin, an indwelling part which can be introduced into the skin through an opening generated by the puncturing part and remains there, wherein the puncturing part and indwelling part are operably associated with the device, and a guide operably associated with the device, wherein, in use, the indwelling part is moved, via the guide, into a position of use after the puncturing part has pierced the skin. In some embodiments, the puncturing and indwelling parts are separate from each other prior to use. A method of using skin penetrators is encompassed and includes sequentially introducing the puncturing part and the indwelling part into the skin.
US08409143B2

An infusion pump assembly is disclosed. The infusion pump assembly includes a locking tab and a pump barrel inside a pump barrel housing, where the pump barrel accommodates a reservoir assembly. The reservoir assembly includes a reservoir and a plunger rod. The infusion pump assembly also includes a locking disc at a terminus of the pump barrel. The locking disc includes a clearance hole for the plunger rod. The locking disc also includes at least one locking tab notch in close proximity with the locking tab. The locking tab is in moveable engagement with the locking tab notch, and the reservoir moves the locking tab from a locked position to an unlocked position when the plunger rod is inserted through clearance hole. The locking disc rotates upon torque being applied to the reservoir assembly, the locking disc rotating from a non-loaded position to a loaded position with respect to the plunger rod and a drive screw.
US08409138B2

A delay mechanism for staging the operation of an automatic injection apparatus (20) to ensure medication contents are properly delivered prior to the needled syringe (32) of the apparatus being retracted. In one form, the delay mechanism includes a shuttle (50), a follower (110), a locking member, a damping compound, and a driver and a driver biasing element (44). The shuttle is for a needled syringe of the apparatus and includes a first latching element. The follower includes a second latching element and a cammable surface, which second latching element is for cooperating with the first latching element to limit motion of the shuttle relative to the follower in a second direction opposite the first direction. The locking member is movable from a locking position to a release position by engagement with the syringe plunger during an injection, the locking member, when in the locking position, preventing rotation of the follower relative to the shuttle, the locking member, when in the release position, allowing rotation of the follower relative to the shuttle. The damping compound is between the follower and a supporting surface to dampen rotation of the follower relative to the shuttle. The driver is rotatably fixed relative to the shuttle and includes a camming surface. The shuttle allowing retracting of the syringe needle into the housing of the automatic injection apparatus after injection.
US08409123B2

A dorsal night splint has dynamic adjustable features that allow the patient to adjust the splint while in use to control the stretching of the plantar fascia and Achilles. A semi-rigid flexible frame is included along with a tightening strap that is anchored to the frame and by which the patient can tension the strap and adjust the structure of the frame to fit the patient's desired therapeutic or prophylactic needs.
US08409122B2

A lumbar orthosis that includes first and second, separate, opposing and mating front attachment panels; and a separate, laterally adjustable, rigid lumbar compression piece configured for positioning only at the rear of a wearer, wherein pulling of a cord causes the brace both circumferentially to tighten and to concentrate compression and pressure of the separate, laterally adjustable, rigid lumbar compression piece directly and especially upon a spinal region of a wearer's back with the aid of a mechanical advantage dependant upon a number of apertures through which the cord or cords pass. An orthosis and method for correcting lumbar and thoracic back pain and disorders is also disclosed.
US08409108B2

A vector method for monitoring a subject's hemodynamic condition including (a) utilizing at least one, external or internal, anatomy-attached, three-axis accelerometer, collecting from the subject, during a selected cardiac cycle, related, three-orthogonal-axes accelerometer signal data, (b) following such collecting, processing collected signal data to obtain associated, signal vector, magnitude and directionality information, and (c) analyzing such obtained vector information for assessment of the subject's heart hemodynamic condition. ECG and signal time-frequency data is also collected and used in certain manners and implementations of the invention.
US08409089B2

A surgical retractor and a method of minimally invasive surgery, wherein the surgical retractor includes ribs and a mechanism for transferring of linear and rotational movements of the ribs and wherein each rib can be easily replaced without use of any additional tools.
US08409087B2

A surgical instrument, generally in the form of an expandable elongate conduit, for use as a distractor and/or retractor. The conduit generally includes a first elongate trough and a second elongate trough movable between an expanded state and a collapsed state wherein the second trough is nestable with the first trough. The first and second troughs may be fastened to vertebrae to facilitate distraction and/or compression of the vertebrae relative to one another.
US08409081B2

An illumination light application structure provided for irradiating an observation object with illumination light in an observation optical apparatus provided with an objective optical system inside a lens barrel whose top is configured into a slender shape, includes a wavelength converting element located in the proximity of a position of an entrance pupil of the objective optical system; a light source emitting light whose wavelength is converted by the wavelength converting element; and an irradiation device irradiating the wavelength converting element with the light emitted from the light source through the objective optical system.
US08409080B2

Systems and methods permit remote endoscope handle manipulation. This can include a control housing configured to removably attach to an endoscope. A manipulator, associated with the housing, can be configured to engage with a control device of the endoscope with the endoscope attached to the housing. An actuator, drivingly coupled with the manipulator, can be configured to move the manipulator to operate the control device with the endoscope attached to the housing.
US08409076B2

A device (10) for laparoscopic or thoracoscopic surgery, the device (10) comprising: a first member (20) to be moved across the body (5) of a patient; and a second member (30) to be placed within the body (5), the second member (30) comprising an image capturing device (32) to capture images from within the body (5) and to transmit the captured images for display; wherein the second member (30) is in magnetic engagement with the first member (20) such that the movement of the second member (30) within the body (5) is in response to movement of the first member (20) across the body (5).
US08409074B2

A sleeping state improvement system to improve a sleeping state of a user includes a memory device and a control device that comprises a specification unit and a control unit. The memory device can be carried by the user. The specification unit specifies individual attribute information of the user based on individual information. The individual information is information stored in the memory device. The control unit controls an environment during sleep of the user based on the individual attribute information.
US08409072B2

In an infant care apparatus according to this invention, the inner surface of an upper reflecting plate portion of a reflector forms a reflecting surface extending substantially parallel to the axial direction of a rod-like heat generator. A first angle at which a rear end of the reflecting surface as an end portion on a side opposite to the center of an infant mat, when seen from the top, of a direction perpendicular to the axial direction is bent downward with respect to a center in a back-and-forth direction of the reflecting surface, which is developed substantially flat, is larger than a second angle at which a front end of the reflecting surface as an end opposite to the rear end is bent downward with respect to the center of the reflecting surface. This invention can provide the infant care apparatus in which not only a heater need not be retracted to another location or need be only slightly when an infant on the mat is to undergo X-ray imaging of the like, but also in spite that the upper surface of the mat is substantially rectangular, the entire upper surface of the mat can be warmed substantially uniformly or almost uniformly.
US08409071B2

A pre-computed importance function providing ex ante assessment of optimal placement of a single radioactive source is used for sequential placement of multiple radioactive sources. As each source is placed, the importance function may be modified to reflect the dose implemented by that source and all sources already placed. The greedy algorithm employed by this technique makes possible optimization of additional dimensions of treatment planning including, using directional and isotropic sources, using different source isotopes, using optimum source strengths, using source locations that are not on the regular grid and using a single movable source for variable times at different locations.
US08409070B2

Brachytherapy treatment of a patient's lung tissue following resection is effected using a balloon applicator which is inserted, normally through the same opening used for the surgery, through the chest wall and into the cavity. The lung and chest openings are closed around the applicator and generally sealed around the applicator. A suction port is provided, in a suction circuit of the applicator, to withdraw fluid from the pleural cavity, at intervals as needed, to assure that the lung can be inflated. Different embodiments of suction circuits are disclosed. A bronchial applicator and method are also disclosed.
US08409059B2

Systems and methods for a treadmill or similar exercise device which utilizes a principally arm driven belt, but includes a motor assist which provides for additional drive to the belt. The motor assist device may constructively or destructively interact with the user provided motive force via the arms. Generally, the motor will allow for the device to utilize incline as well as to make the device easier to start from rest.
US08409056B2

A shift output torque control unit executes a shift output torque control to control an engine torque so as to reduce a driving force difference, which is a variation width of a driving force due to downshift of an automatic transmission. Thus, in comparison with the case in which the shift output torque control is not executed, it is possible to smooth a variation in driving force associated with the downshift. As a result, occupants' comfort and controllability to driving operation may be improved.
US08409055B2

A thermal management system for a vehicle powertrain includes a heater core, a transmission fluid warmer selectively in thermal communication with the heater core, a bypass valve between the heater core and transmission fluid warmer configured to control fluid flow therebetween, a control module configured to control the bypass valve, and a timer linked to the control module configured to delay deactivation of the bypass valve.
US08409052B2

Provided is a starting method for hybrid electric vehicle, which includes the steps of: (a1) as the temperature of a battery module of the hybrid electric vehicle is below a first threshold temperature, allowing the vehicle control unit of the hybrid electric vehicle to turn on a first switch; (a2) converting the DC power transmitted from the battery module to an integrated starter generator of the vehicle through the first switch into a first AC power by the integrated starter generator which is operating under the starter mode, and starting the internal combustion engine of the vehicle with the first AC power; and (a3) executing a heating process to warm up the battery module by a battery heater, in which the charging line between the integrated starter generator and the battery module is cut off and the integrated starter generator is operating under a rectifier sub-mode, thereby allowing the integrated starter generator to supply electric power to the battery heater in order to heat the battery module.
US08409050B2

A gear retention assembly for retaining a gear that has a plurality of gear outer splines includes a gear housing and a retaining ring. The gear housing has a first end, a second end, and a plurality of inner splines each including a ramp portion. The second end of the gear housing includes an annular continuous rolled lip, where the continuous rolled lip and the ramp portions of the plurality of inner splines define a groove. The plurality of inner splines engage with the gear outer splines of the gear to transmit torque between the gear and the gear housing. The retaining ring is disposed in the groove and axially retains the gear. The rolled lip axially retains the retaining ring.
US08409046B2

A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, two external gear sets or sprocket sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. Each of the external gear sets includes first and second members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08409042B2

The present invention relies on the offsetting of one or more outer rotating electrical machines in the interior of the externally rotating mechanism; and the coaxial installation of running wheels with the rotating housing of the outer rotating electrical machine which include gears and friction wheels to couple with the ring type inner running wheel installed inside the externally rotating mechanism wheel hub in order to constitute a variable speed drive function.
US08409040B1

A powertrain includes an input member, an output member, and a stationary member. A first and a second electric motor/generator are provided. Only two planetary gear sets are used, each having a respective first, second, and third member. An interconnecting member connects one of the members of a first one of the planetary gear sets to one of the members of a second one of the planetary gear sets. The input member, the output member, the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are each continuously connected for common rotation with a different one of the members of the planetary gear sets that is not connected by the interconnecting member. Four brakes are each selectively engageable to ground a different respective one of the members of the planetary gear sets that is not connected by the interconnecting member to the stationary member.
US08409037B2

A training instrument includes a rigid pipe being provided with engaging striae extending in an axial direction, and having a predetermined inner diameter, leaf-shaped wings each of which is provided with a projection of a cross-sectional shape in accordance with each of the engaging striae, a shaft having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the pipe and being inserted in the pipe, a stopper being attached to an end of the shaft, and a grip being attached to the shaft.
US08409034B2

A golf ball 2 includes a center 12, a mid layer 14, a reinforcing layer 6, a cover 8 and a paint layer 10. The golf ball 2 has a large number of dimples 16 on the surface thereof. The cover 8 is formed of a resin composition including thermoplastic polyurethane (A) and a polyisocyanate mixture (B). The polyisocyanate mixture (B) includes a urethane prepolymer (B1) having two or more isocyanate groups or an isocyanate compound (B2) having three or more isocyanate groups. The polyisocyanate composition (B) further includes a thermoplastic resin (B3) which substantially does not react with an isocyanate goup. The golf ball 2 is obtained by a mold having protrusions which projects from the equator of the mold. Each protrusion includes a part of a pimple.
US08409033B2

A golf ball 2 includes a center 12, a mid layer 14, a reinforcing layer 6, a cover 8 and a paint layer 10. The golf ball 2 has a large number of dimples 16 on the surface thereof. The cover 8 is formed of a resin composition including thermoplastic polyurethane (A) and a polyisocyanate mixture (B). The polyisocyanate mixture (B) includes a urethane prepolymer (B1) having two or more isocyanate groups or an isocyanate compound (B2) having three or more isocyanate groups. The polyisocyanate mixture (B) further includes a thermoplastic resin (B3) which substantially does not react with an isocyanate group. The golf ball 2 is obtained by a mold having protrusions which project from the equator of the mold. Each protrusion includes a part of a pimple.
US08409032B2

A metal wood golf club with a striking face portion made from more than one material is disclosed. More specifically, due to the unique construction of the striking face portion having multiple materials, the present invention utilizes diffusion bonding, liquid interface diffusion, or even super plastic forming techniques to achieve the desirable bond between the more than one material used to form the striking face. The striking face portion is formed by adding a chip insert made from a secondary material that is different from the remainder of the striking face portion substantially near a geometric center of the striking face portion; wherein the secondary material has a higher Young's modulus than the remainder of the striking face portion.
US08409030B2

Described herein are embodiments of a golf club head having at least one rib with an external portion. For example, according to one embodiment, a wood-type golf club head includes a body that has at least one wall defining an interior cavity. The golf club head further includes at least one rib projecting from the at least one wall. The at least one rib can include an internal portion located within the interior cavity and an external portion located without the interior cavity.
US08409024B2

A system that captures, analyzes and provides feedback related to golf is described. The system is designed to capture and analyze an initial trajectory of a golf ball and predict a subsequent flight of the ball. The system may be configured to provide immediate feedback that may be utilized by a player to improve their performance as well as provide entertainment value above and beyond what is normally associated with the play of a game of golf. The analysis and feedback system may be portable and may be operable for use in an area where golf is normally played, such as a golf course or an area where golf training takes place, such as a driving range. In one example, the analysis and feedback system may be integrated into a golf bag. Further, the system may be designed to be non-intrusive such that a player may use the system and receive feedback during normal activities associated with golf, such as out on a golf course.
US08409020B2

A constant velocity joint for a drive system comprises: an outer joint member having a plurality of inwardly facing outer ball grooves, the outer ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves and a second group of grooves with composite or non-linear groove pattern; an inner joint member disposed inside the outer joint member and having a plurality of outwardly facing inner ball grooves consisting of a first group of grooves and a second group of grooves with composite or non-linear groove pattern, each inner ball groove of the inner joint member being coupled with a corresponding outer ball groove of the outer joint member generally in crossed pair.
US08409019B2

A propeller shaft includes a first shaft having a yoke at one end, a second shaft slidably connected to the other end of the first shaft, and a surface treated member which is arranged at a connecting portion, at which the first shaft and the second shaft are connected to each other, and to which surface treatment for improving slidability of the second shaft with respect to the first shaft is applied. The surface treated member is formed by a substrate which is separate from the first shaft and the second shaft and to which the surface treatment has been applied. The surface treated member is arranged at the connecting portion, at which the first shaft and the second shaft are connected to each other, after the surface treatment is applied.
US08409018B2

A game controller, a game machine, and a game system using the game controller is provided. The game controller manipulates a game program, and includes an energy harvesting unit to harvest motion of a user as energy when a game is played and an energy storing unit to store the energy harvested by using the energy harvesting unit.
US08409016B2

A card game system in which a game progresses based on game information recorded in a card in each of a plurality of game apparatuses. The game apparatus set as a master apparatus includes a master reception device that receives the game information transmitted from each of the game apparatuses, a permission device that rejects the reception of game information until a start determination device determines to start a specific time and that permits the reception of game information when the start determination device determines to start the specific time, and a rejection device that rejects the reception when an elapse time determination device determines that the set time as the specific time in advance elapses after permitting the reception. Each game apparatus includes a terminal transmission device that transmits the game information to the master reception device.
US08409015B2

According to an embodiment, a video game permits revenue sharing by players of the video game and other entities. For example, players can buy and sell whole or fractional portions of the revenue sources derived from a particular game environment. The ownership may be represented as stock or as some other allocations mechanism.
US08409002B2

A common game controller is compatible with multiple platforms including game devices and general purpose processors. The common controller can be utilized by both developers and users. Game software can easily be implemented on multiple platforms. Common source code can be developed and compiled to run on multiple systems, for example XBOX 360®, WINDOWS XP®, and WINDOWS® VISTA. Users only have to learn and get familiar with a single game controller. The common controller includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatible interface allowing the controller to be coupled to multiple types of platforms. The common controller can also include a wireless interface.
US08408993B2

A method of gaming is disclosed wherein progressive award values may be increased in response to certain pre-established game outcomes, wager amounts or random events. The increased progressive award values may be based on a primary game or secondary game outcome. Another innovation is the resetting of progressive awards upon completion of a bonus event whether or not award actually won in said bonus event. Player tracking systems permit progressive award values to be linked to a particular player such that the progressive award values remain personal to the player. Re-setting increased progressive award values is also disclosed.
US08408992B2

An SMS transaction gateway server receives an SMS message from a mobile phone of a telephone subscriber to a telephone service via a base station over a wide area network. The SMS transaction gateway server parses the SMS message to identify an order by the telephone subscriber and sends a chargeback request indicative of the order over a wide area network to a mobile billing platform server belonging to the telephone subscriber for an amount corresponding to the order against a mobile phone balance of the telephone subscriber, receives a chargeback confirmation or denial over a wide area network from the mobile billing platform server corresponding to the telephone service belonging to the telephone subscriber, and commences fulfillment of the order when a chargeback confirmation is received from the mobile billing platform server corresponding to the telephone service belonging to the telephone subscriber. In a preferred embodiment the order is an SMS lottery entry. Lottery winnings can also be credited to a prepaid or postpaid account according to an alternate embodiment.
US08408988B2

Example methods and devices are set forth for playing a game. In some embodiments, an inventory of game indicia is arranged in a random but established, serial order. In some embodiments, for each hand of play the player makes a wager and game indicia are displayed in order from the inventory to define a winning or losing outcome. In some embodiments, a display, as hands are played, displays the remaining constituency of the inventory and the player, before any game, can order re-shuffling and re-constitute of the inventory. Other embodiments are described.
US08408986B2

A method and associated system for Internet play of an instant lottery game includes supplying instant lottery tickets for purchase by players, with each of the instant lottery tickets having a game authorization code. The winning or loosing status of the instant lottery tickets is unknown to the players at the time of purchase. Each of the instant lottery tickets is provided with a unique prize claim code separate from the game authorization code. A web site is provided wherein a player enters the game authorization code via an Internet device to initiate play of the instant lottery game. The outcome of the game is then randomly determined and presented to the player via the web site. The value of a winning outcome is credited to a running tally associated with the lottery ticket and, upon the player cashing out to end the lottery game, a monetary value is assigned for the running tally associated with the unique prize claim code. The prize claim codes are stored and at defined periodic intervals, the prize claim codes are transferred to a lottery system central computer. For redemption of an instant lottery ticket, the player presents the prize claim code to a lottery redemption location wherein the presented prize claim code is verified with data from the transferred prize claim codes to determine a payout to the player for the lottery ticket.
US08408983B2

A method and gaming device for playing an electronic multi-hand blackjack game is disclosed. The game includes: a) dealing a player hand of two face-up cards; b) dealing two or more dealer hands such that each dealer hand is dealt from a corresponding shoe made up on at least one deck of cards, where each dealer hand includes one identical face-up card and one face-down card; c) completing the player hand according to input received from the player; d) completing each of the dealer hands according to conventional rules of blackjack, such that the cards in each dealer hand are drawn from the corresponding shoe and no two dealer hands are drawn from the same shoe; and e) determining a number of game results by comparing the player hand against each of the dealer hands using conventional rules of blackjack.
US08408982B2

A method in a video gaming system including a processor, a memory and a sensor system for capturing body motion is described. In one embodiment, the body motion can be associated with a person pretending to hit or launch an object, such as an object used in a sporting activity. In general, body motion can be associated with any activity involving similar body motions that are repeated during the activity. In a video game generated by the video gaming system, a consistency with which the repeated body motions are made over time can be used to determine an outcome for a single instance of the body motion. In a particular embodiment, a probability of a more desirable outcome resulting from the single instance of the body motion can increase as the consistency with which the repeated body motions are made increases.
US08408977B2

The polishing pad is useful for polishing at least one of magnetic, optical and semiconductor substrates. A porous polishing layer includes a dual porosity structure within a polyurethane matrix. The dual porosity structure has a primary set of pores having pore walls with a thickness of 15 to 55 μm and a storage modulus of 10 to 60 MPa measured at 25° C. In addition, pore walls contain a secondary set of pores having an average pore size of 5 to 30 μm. The porous polishing layer is either fixed to a polymeric film or sheet substrate or formed into a woven or non-woven structure to form the polishing pad.
US08408969B2

An abrasive has a plate shape with a flat surface, in which a maximum diameter of the flat surface thereof is in the range of 0.05 mm to 10 mm, and 1.5 to 100 times as the maximum diameter as thick of the abrasive, and the blast processing method is one in which this abrasive is ejected by being inclined at an incident angle with respect to a surface of a product to be treated. The ejected plate-shaped abrasive slides along the surface of the product to be treated while having the flat surface in slidable contact with the surface of the product to be treated which is an object surface to be treated, so that the surface of the product to be treated is flattened by removing the peaks only, without increasing the depth of the valleys of the roughness curve.
US08408961B2

A method for producing a molybdenum film for lamp construction is provided. The method may include roughening at least a part of the surface of the molybdenum film by sandblasting with a sandblasting means, wherein the sandblasting means contains at least one of aluminum oxide and quartz sand as well as at least one further component.
US08408958B2

A pivoting fin used to control the movement of a surfboard. The pivoting fin is provided with a rotatable hinge allowing the fin to rotate in the “roll” axis of the surfboard. The rotatable hinge is inserted into base position which in turn is secured to the underside of the surfboard.
US08408951B1

According to embodiments of the present invention, an electronic device includes a first electrical conductor located in a shell. The first electrical conductor has a vertical portion and a horizontal portion at the bottom of the vertical portion. A cap has a second electrical conductor and can be mated with the shell. After mating, the second electrical conductor contacts the horizontal portion of the first electrical conductor.
US08408943B2

A connector includes a first assembly structure and a second assembly structure assembled together. The first assembly structure includes: a connector housing from which an electric wire is pulled out; a first shield shell fixed to the connector housing; and a first locking portion provided on any one of the connector housing and the first shield shell. The second assembly structure includes: a second shield shell having a guide configured to make pressure contact with a connection plate of the first shield shell in an assembled state; a second locking portion engaging with the first locking portion in the assembled state; a shield electric wire covering the electric wire; and an electric wire fastener fastening the shield electric wire to the second shield shell with the shield electric wire interposed between the electric wire fastener and the second shield shell.
US08408929B2

A cylindrical guard is used for protecting the electrical junction between connectors. The guard is essentially two split cylindrical sections oriented end-to-end with breakaway tabs therebetween. The split cylindrical pieces are hinged, and substantially irreversibly lock together in a “clamshell” like fashion. The resulting guarded junction is less likely to be accidentally disengaged, thereby protecting both property and life. The guard can be removed by cutting, or broken and moved to expose the underlying junction by severing the breakaway tabs.
US08408926B1

The network connector of the invention includes an isolated body, a switch module, an input pin set and an output pin set. The switch module includes a circuit board and switch component thereon. The input pin set and output pin set electrically connect to the switch component. When the network connector receives external electricity, the switch component will be electrically opened or closed to turn on or off the network connection.
US08408918B2

A haptic simulation method determines a location of a needle assembly within a magneto-rheological fluid. The needle assembly within the magneto-rheological fluid is associated with a desired resistance value. A viscosity control signal representative of the desired resistance value is generated. The viscosity control signal is applied to a viscosity control device to vary a viscosity of the magneto-rheological fluid to achieve the desired resistance value.
US08408914B2

System and method for learning scripts of Chinese character-based languages includes forming a list of user-recognized symbols in a Chinese character-based language, each of the symbols having an associated key with a respective bridge. A complex Chinese multi-character to be learned and added to the recognized list is identified. A set of the user-recognized symbols within the multi-character is recognized. A mnemonic in a language known to the user is formed for recalling the written form of the multi-character. The mnemonic is based upon the keys and bridges associated with the recognized set of symbols within the multi-character. The mnemonic is used to remember the multi-character and, thereby, add the multi-character to the recognized list. Chinese radicals can be sources associated with icons having a logical similarity thereto. The source has the bridge in upper case and three icons use two combinations of lower/upper case and two lower case letters.
US08408911B2

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for using the apparatus for safely training a motorcycle rider to perform a wheelie, either while moving or while stationary. The apparatus provides a safety system which prevents the motorcycle from tipping over backwards or sideways.
US08408907B2

A system and method for an automated improvised explosive device training is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the system utilizes an IED mock-up that embeds a processor and wireless modem. A separate processor and wireless modem is embedded in a trainee unit. A wireless network interface is provided, allowing for communication between the IED and trainee processors. Upon a simulated detonation, the IED processor queries each trainee unit for their current position using a wireless local area network message. The IED processor is configured to determine distance differentiation and casualty assessment data based on received signal strength of exchanged wireless messages or GPS coordinates. The trainee processor is configured to automatically signal casualty status to the trainee based on casualty assessment data.
US08408902B2

A material for dentures having a 3-point bending strength of at least 1300 MPa, dentures produced from said type of material, corresponding blank materials, a method for producing blanks, and a method for producing a denture part made from said material or a blank.
US08408898B2

Dental implant placement may be facilitated using a guide and/or placement system. The guide may allow an appropriate position for a dental implant to be determined. The placement system may position the guide in a patient.
US08408896B2

Disclosed herein is a method of controlling the air to fuel ratio in a burner containing a venturi assembly. The venturi includes an air inlet, a primary fuel inlet with a converging section, a throat portion downstream from the converging section, a diverging section downstream from the throat portion, an outlet, and a secondary gas inlet disposed downstream from the converging section and upstream from the outlet. The method comprises introducing fuel into the fuel inlet, receiving air through the air inlet by inspiration, and feeding a gas through the secondary gas inlet, the flow rate and content of the gas fed through the secondary gas inlet being selected to result in a desired air to fuel ratio through the outlet. A method of firing a heater, a burner, a furnace and firing control systems also are disclosed.
US08408881B2

A rotary vacuum pump comprises, between the rotor (2) and a driving motor, a control unit (1; 101) for operatively connecting the pump and the motor only in the periods in which the pump operation is required or desired. The control unit (1; 101) includes: a rotating member (12; 112) connected to a motor output and arranged to be made integral for rotation with the pump rotor (2, 10) when the pump operation is required or desired; a plurality of coupling elements (17), which are located between the rotating member (12; 112) and an element (10) belonging to or integral for rotation with the pump rotor (2), and which are arranged to take a coupling position or a decoupling position to make the rotating member (12; 112) and the rotor (2) integral for rotation, or to make the rotating member (12; 112) and the rotor (2) independent of each other, respectively; and actuating members (40, 14, 19, 20, 26; 140, 114, 119, 126) for actuating said coupling elements (17), which actuating members are driven by said rotating member (12; 112) so as to take a first position and a second position in the periods where the pump is operating and in the periods where the pump is not operating respectively.
US08408876B2

Easy to attach and detach blades for overhead ceiling fans. A first version has a ceiling fan blade with keyhole slots that fit over flat topped fasteners on a mounting arm. Pulling the blade away from the arm locks the slots to the fasteners. A second version is similar to the first and has a decorative bottom cover having snappable tapered protrusions which attach through the keyholes and into mateable through-holes in the mounting arm connection. The third version has a protruding end portion of the blade that fits into a slot in the mounting arm where spring loaded pistons press into grooves in the protrusion end portion of the blade. Latching handles allow users to manually move the pistons. A fourth version has a slot in the blade which fits about a mateable housing in the mounting arm where opposing spring loaded pistons press into interior wall grooves in the slot of the blade. A fifth version has the blade with slots fit over the end of the mounting arm so that pulling the blade from the mounting arm causes spring loaded piston to interlock into a interior wall groove in the slot of the blade.
US08408875B2

A rotor blade attachment, in particular of a wind power plant, for the connection of a rotor blade with an attachment device, including a transverse pin and a connecting device, which can be brought together to establish an operative connection, wherein the connecting device defines a longitudinal axis. The rotor blade attachment is characterized in that the transverse pin in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connecting device has a higher bending stiffness than transversally to the longitudinal axis. An alternative rotor blade attachment is characterized in that the transverse pins are arranged in at least two rows, wherein at least a first row is arranged closer to the blade-root-side end of the rotor blade than at least a second row.
US08408871B2

A method and an apparatus for measuring an air flow at an airfoil surface are provided, wherein at least one pressure sensor adapted to detect an air flow associated with a rotor blade surface and a pressure transducer which converts the detected air flow into an electrical signal indicating the air flow are provided. The pressure sensor is arranged within the boundary layer of the air flow at the airfoil surface such that the boundary layer profile may be determined from the electrical signal. The air flow sensor is adapted for rotor blades of a wind turbine to assist in adjusting a pitch angle of the rotor blades.
US08408850B2

A drill for making a hole within a workpiece has a body extending along a longitudinal axis, at least one flute extending along the body, and a drill point extending from the end of the body. The drill point has a periphery and is comprised of a chisel edge, a primary cutting edge extending inwardly from the periphery, a secondary cutting edge extending outwardly from the chisel edge, and a tertiary cutting edge connecting the primary cutting edge with the secondary cutting edge, wherein the tertiary cutting edge has a negative axial rake angle. A method for producing such a drill point is also disclosed wherein in one grinding pass a gash forms the axial rake angle of the secondary cutting edge, and in a separate grinding pass a portion of the secondary cutting edge is removed to produce a tertiary cutting edge having an axial rake angle that is negative.
US08408848B2

A cutting insert used in rotary cutting tools for performing turning spinning operations has an upper surface and an opposing base surface with a peripheral surface therebetween, the peripheral surface intersecting the upper surface to form a cutting edge. The cutting edge may be a continuous circular cutting edge. The upper surface has rotational asymmetry about an insert axis passing between the upper surface and the base surface, by virtue of having at least one spiral shaped protrusion with a chip deflection distance which continuously increases in a rotational direction about the insert axis for greater than 180°. The cutting insert is assembled to a cutting tool body having a shank portion and a cutting portion sharing a longitudinal axis, the insert axis being aligned with the longitudinal axis and the cutting insert secured in an insert receiving pocket of the cutting portion.
US08408845B2

A pedestal support for a mine prop. The pedestal support includes a collar to dispose a mine prop at least partially therein and a yielding member extending from the collar. The yielding member includes a wall having a top edge and a bottom edge and having a thickness that tapers from the top edge to the bottom edge and that flares from the top edge to the bottom edge.
US08408840B2

An apparatus, method, and system for supplementing an aerobic-treated supply of water in an aerobic sewer pump tank using water from a separate source, the apparatus including an electronic controller device to control the occurrence of injection of water from a separate source at a first predetermined time and for a predetermined length of time. A valve member is in electrical controlling communication with the electronic controller device. An inlet connection member is disposed on one end of the control valve. A conduit member has one end disposed on the other opening end of the control valve. The conduit member further includes a flow redirection member. The flow redirection member injects the separate source water into the receiving orifice of a normally closed trap sealer. The trap sealer deposits the separate source water into the pump tank. A housing member positions the conduit member and the trap sealer. The trap sealer and conduit member are positioned and arranged to prevent liquid flow from the trap sealer to the conduit member. An overflow sensor is arranged and configured to be capable of preventing actuation of the control valve into an open state if the pump tank is filled to a predetermined level.
US08408835B1

A clamp for section tubes having a shell with a front lateral, a fork contained in the shell and having a pair of arms and a fork neck, an end block fixed to the arms and an end slope, a slide block between the arms and having a rear slope, a pair of rigid tie bars each having a rear end pivotally linked to the fork neck, a hooked head sticking out from the front lateral and a middle recess facing each other, a pillar fixed to the shell and sandwiched in the middle recesses, a control screw rotatably contained in the shell and having a middle thread portion engaging with the slide block, an end spring between the shell and the end block, and a first and a second side springs respectively between the shell and the tie bars.
US08408834B2

A paint applicator is provided with a handle formed with a paint-entry passage, a first housing half connected to the handle, a second housing half jointed to the first housing half and formed with a plurality of paint exit holes, a non-permeable resilient body disposed on the second housing half and formed with a plurality of apertures, a permeable foamed body, and a brush layer. The apertures are closed in normal conditions and will be opened under pressure. Paint is accumulated in a paint chamber between the first and second housing halves, and then will flow out only when the paint pressure is greater than a deformation threshold value of the non-permeable resilient body. Furthermore, since the apertures are very small and can be evenly and densely distributed over the resilient body, paint will be evenly permeated to the permeable foamed body and the brush layer.
US08408832B2

A pen holder includes an upper housing for receiving and holding an upper end of a writing implement and a lower housing adapted to receive the writing end of the writing implement. The lower housing has a hole at its lower end that is sized to allow the writing tip of the writing implement to pass through, and the lower housing being removably coupled to the upper housing to form a chamber that at least partially encloses the writing implement. The length of the chamber, or the longitudinal position of the writing implement within the chamber, is variable to accommodate writing implements of different lengths.
US08408830B2

An image forming apparatus includes a moving roller capable of axial movement; a medium end position detecting section for detection in the main scanning direction; and a control section for calculating the amount of misalignment of the medium from the detected end position; wherein the control section obtains the correction amount of the image forming position of the medium according to the amount of misalignment of the medium having been calculated, or the amount of misalignment of the medium and information of moving position of the roller, and provides control such that the medium or another medium coming later than the medium by a predetermined number of pages is moved by the moving roller by the difference between the correction amount of the image forming position and the amount of misalignment of the target medium, and the image forming position is corrected according to the correction amount.
US08408824B2

A camera apparatus and a camera system of the present invention are configured so that a lens unit is attachable/detachable. The lens unit contains at least a lens and an iris, and contains a memory storing setting information required for operating the lens and the iris. When a camera microcomputer checks detection information stored in a memory in a sub-microcomputer at a time of start-up of the camera apparatus, and first detection information is stored in the memory, the setting information is acquired from the lens unit. When second detection information is stored in the memory, the setting information is acquired from another memory in the camera apparatus. Due to this configuration, the time for shifting the switch-on to a photographable state is shortened, and the ease of convenience can be enhanced.
US08408821B2

An imaging system includes an image sensor and an optical filter. The image sensor captures image data in response to incident light. The optical filter filters the light and includes a dual window transmission spectrum. The dual window transmission spectrum includes a first transmission window having a first pass band aligned to pass visible light and a second transmission window having a second pass band overlapping with an absorption band of infrared light in Earth's atmosphere.
US08408814B2

An optical connector of the present invention includes a ferrule to which an internal optical fiber is embedded and an end face grinding is performed; and a connection mechanism which extends to an opposite side of a connection end face of the ferrule, wherein the optical connector butt connects the internal optical fiber and an insert optical fiber which is inserted from outside within a positioning groove provided at the connection mechanism; and a back end side of an end face of the internal optical fiber which butts to the insert optical fiber is made a beveled end face by cutting process.
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