US08688209B2
A device for ambulatory monitoring of brain activity includes a patch secured to a head of a monitoring subject and an electrode secured to the head of the monitoring subject. The electrode produces a signal indicating brain activity of the monitoring subject. The device further includes a signal processor that receives the signal produced by the electrode and processes the signal to produce data. The signal processor is secured to the monitoring subject. The device further includes a display that displays the data produced by the signal processor, the display being secured to the monitoring subject. The device also includes a power source secured to the monitoring subject, the power source providing power to the electrode, the signal processor, and the display wherein the monitoring subject may ambulate unimpeded by the patch, the electrode, the signal processor, the display and the power source.
US08688207B2
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a patient and graphically representing ST-segment deviations.
US08688205B2
An electrocardiogram (ECG) chart device and method capable of easily assisting with the diagnosis of heart disease. Hexagonal radar charts displayed on a screen act as indicators of feature values corresponding to data obtained from each of 12 electrode leads and correlated with the related portions of the heart. For example, a (V1, V2) lead is an indicator of a right ventricle. Each of the radar charts is schematically arranged to correspond with the related portion of the heart. Each vertex of the hexagonal radar charts acts as an indicator of the recognized value. More specifically, each vertex of the radar chart is based on a value obtained by extracting a waveform critical point, a waveform start point, a waveform end point, or the like, of constituent elements of the ECG waveform as the P wave, the Q wave, the R wave, the S wave, the ST segment, the T wave, or the like. Therefore, a user of the ECG radar chart device can intuitively and easily carry out interpretation of ECG data.
US08688204B2
Methods and systems for identifying tachyarrhythmia episode types and delivering therapy to mitigate the identified tachyarrhythmia episode types are described. Electrogram signals of cardiac activity are sensed and stored by an implantable cardiac device. Tachyarrhythmia episodes are detected and tachyarrhythmia episode types are identified based on characteristics of the electrogram signals. In preparation for performing ablation, a tachyarrhythmia episode is induced. The features of the induced tachyarrhythmia episode are compared to characteristics of the identified episode types. A similarity between the induced tachyarrhythmia episode and at least one of the episode types identified from the stored electrogram signals is indicated to facilitate performing the ablation.
US08688201B2
An implantable medical device and associated method predict syncope based on detecting a change in ejection time. A physiological signal is sensed that is responsive to mechanical changes associated with the cardiac ejection phase. A time interval corresponding to cardiac ejection time is detected from the physiological signal. A sudden change in the time interval is used as a predictor of syncope and causes a patient alert to be generated in response to the detected change.
US08688196B2
An EMT system for use in ultrasound and other imaging modality guided medical procedures. The system includes a tool set of various components to which EM sensors can be releasably secured. Thus, the sensors can be reused, notwithstanding the disposal of other components of the tool set. Various components of the tool set include keying elements to facilitate their registration to the anatomy of the patient undergoing the procedure via the EM sensors.
US08688195B2
Provided is a fluorescent indication clip for surgery that has an improved function as a position indicator due to a photo-reactive fluorescent material included in the bio-clip, and allows people to rapidly and easily detect the accurate position of an internal operation region, and thus can improve operation accuracy and reduce side effects caused by excessive incision. The fluorescent indication clip includes a self-spreadable clip body, a fluorescent indicator prepared at the rear end of the clip body and including a photo-reactive fluorescent material, and a clamper configured to slide from a position at which the clamper is mounted on the fluorescent indicator to the clip body by an external force, and fasten the clip body to narrow front ends of the clip body.
US08688193B2
A magnetic resonance imager for forming images of a moving portion of a patient includes imaging coils. The imager includes a computer that causes the imaging coils to apply continuously steady-state free precession to k-space of a magnetic resonance image series of the patient and acquire the image series, and generates images from the image series. A method for forming images of a moving portion of a patient includes the steps of applying continuously steady-state free precession to k-space of a magnetic resonance image series of a patient. There is the step of acquiring the image series. There is the step of generating images from the image series. A method for forming images of a patient includes the steps of triggering a steady-state free precision imaging sequence to an ECG r wave of cardiac cycles of the patient. There is the step of performing the steady-state free precision imaging sequence with imaging coils of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner such that data for a series of k-space data sets associated with the imaging sequence are acquired in a manner that is time resolved through the cardiac cycle, with data acquired over a number of consecutive cardiac cycles. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium to form an image of a patient with an MRI.
US08688192B2
Magnetocardiogram (MCG) provides temporal and spatial measurements of cardiac electric activities, which permits current localization. An MCG device usually consists of a small number of magnetic sensors in a planar array. Each sensor provides a highly low-resolution 2D MCG map. Such a low-res map is insufficient for cardiac electric current localization. To create a high resolution MCG image from the sparse measurements, an algorithm based on model learning is used. The model is constructed using a large number of randomly generated high resolution MCG images based on the Biot-Savart Law. By fitting the model with the sparse measurements, high resolution MCG image are created. Next, the 2D position of the electric current is localized by finding the peak in the tangential components of the high resolution MCG images. Finally, the 2D current localization is refined by a non-linear optimization algorithm, which simultaneously recovers the depth of the electric current from the sensor and its magnitude and orientation.
US08688191B2
A combined tomography scanner is disclosed, having at least two imaging modalities. In at least one embodiment, the scanner includes a first tomography modality having an essentially annular or tubular measurement area opening formed by an inner perimeter; an annular or cylindrical PET component as a second tomography modality having an outer perimeter, which allows insertion into the measurement area opening, and having an inner opening which forms a patient tunnel; and at least one insulation mat which can be inserted into an annular gap between the inner perimeter of the first modality and the outer perimeter of the PET component.
US08688189B2
The invention provides a disposable programmable ECG sensor patch for the non-invasive detection of risk patterns according to programmed criteria. The patch is programmed by a medical professional to select one or more monitoring parameters for detection and alarm indication. One application is to detect changes in the ECG due to cardioactive drugs. Another application is triggering an alarm for a cardiac patient during a stress condition. The programmable patch operates in conjunction with an external programming unit for selecting the detection monitoring parameters.
US08688180B2
A system for detecting the use of wireless devices such as a mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or pagers in a moving vehicle receives wireless signals inside a vehicle using a radio frequency (RF) sensor(s) and converts the RF signals into voltage signals. The voltage signals are then compared with known waveforms to determine if the wireless signals indicate a received call, if the received call is answered, a transmitted call, an SMS text message, data associated with internet browsing on a wireless device, or Bluetooth activity.
US08688171B2
The present invention discloses a method and device for operating telephone directories applied in a mobile terminal using a smart SIM card. The method comprising: after the mobile terminal is powered on, reading telephone directories in the mobile terminal and in the smart SIM card and constructing the first and second tables respectively; and when the mobile terminal detects that the first and second tables have been constructed, accomplishing a subscriber's operation on telephone directories in the first table and/or the second table, and after the first table is modified, using the modified first table to update the telephone directory in the mobile terminal, and after the second table is modified, using the modified second table to update the telephone directory in the smart SIM card. The device comprises a mobile terminal and a smart SIM card, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a processor, a storage, and a memory.
US08688154B2
A method and system are disclosed herein for power allocation and/or clustering in a wireless communication system that uses blind interference alignment. In one embodiment, the system comprises a plurality of receivers, where each receiver in the plurality has a multi-mode antenna with a single radio frequency (RF) chain that is operable in a plurality of antenna modes, and wherein each receiver shifts between the plurality of antenna modes in a predetermined manner. The system also includes a plurality of base stations to perform cluster-based transmission, each base station in the plurality of base stations having one or more transmitters having a transmit antenna and being operable to communicate with one or more of receivers in the plurality of receivers using a blind interference alignment (BIA) scheme, and wherein the plurality of base stations are grouped in different clusters at different times according to cluster patterns.
US08688151B2
A method of processing a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) message in a mobile communication terminal is disclosed that includes checking in a media file in the MMS message for whether the message can be processed, when an MMS notification message is received; and retransmitting the MMS notification message to another receiver, when the media file in the MMS message cannot be processed. Even when the capabilities of the receiving terminal prevent viewing of the MMS message in the state that it was sent, the recipient is able to view the MMS message through another terminal or an e-mail address as it was compiled by the sender.
US08688150B2
Methods for combining speech with existing text wireless Short Message Service (SMS) to create a multimodal SMS service are provided. A user of standard SMS text service is provided with a link within each message that allows adding or retrieval of a voice message associated with an SMS text message. A speech server in the wireless network may be used for recognition of voice commands, rendering of test into speech, and recording or playing back voice recordings. An automatic and unique identification of each message is created to allow retrieval of the message without manually selecting the message. Additional services include message lists, integration with voicemail systems, image and video messages, cross-functional applications with Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) and Enhanced Message Services (EMS), and extensions of the combination of voice with text SMS to other computing devices such as PDAs and PCs.
US08688134B2
A resource allocation control method and device that can reduce inter-cell interference in a radio communications system are provided. According to a method for resource allocation control between a plurality of cells in a radio communications system, radio communication devices respectively controlling at least two cells notify information about control resources of its own cell to each other. In the resources of its own cell, each of the radio communication devices sets a buffer resource within a predetermined resource range corresponding to a control resource of the other cell. At a request for information transmission in its own cell, each of the radio communication devices restricts the allocation of the set buffer resource.
US08688133B2
A method for operating a WiMAX femtocell base station, wherein the femtocell base station has an active operational mode, in which the radio interface subsystem of the femtocell base station is fully power supplied, is characterized in that a power saving mode with reduced radio interface activity is provided, wherein the femtocell base station is enabled to transit between the active operation mode and the power saving mode. Furthermore, a corresponding femtocell base station for deployment in a WiMAX network is disclosed.
US08688124B2
Provided are methods and systems of managing a handoff in a multimedia communication network. Embodiments include estimating the voice quality of a communication route in the network. The voice quality may be estimated by using a total voice quality metric involving subtracting various impairments to the voice signal. Impairments may result from the type of vocoder in a communication route, the error or loss associated with RF links and network links, and delays in the communication route. After subtracting the impairments to obtain the total voice quality metric for the communication route, the total voice quality metric may be compared with a threshold and/or other total voice quality metrics of other communication routes to determine whether and when a handoff should be made.
US08688118B2
An access procedure for call re-establishment is provided. In a first method, a mobile station, in at least some instances of detecting radio link failure, attempts call re-establishment on multiple cells concurrently. In a second method, a mobile station performs a first random access channel procedure when the mobile station is not aware of at least two cells with enabled call re-establishment, and performs a second random access channel procedure when the mobile station is aware of at least two cells with enabled call re-establishment.
US08688116B2
The invention relates to a method to select a telecommunication network with a mobile equipment (10,20) comprising a mobile communication device (10) and a personal token (20), the method operating an algorithm (25) which selects at least one network to be operated by the mobile equipment among a plurality of available networks, wherein in the method, the algorithm is stored and run in the personal token (20).
US08688110B1
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for reducing or eliminating searches by a UE for its home PLMN when the mobile station is roaming in a network not in the vicinity of the home PLMN. That is, the UE may be provisioned with information about its home PLMN. For example, some embodiments can comprise a neighbor database indicating neighbor relationships between PLMNs and the home PLMN. This can enable a UE to determine whether the home PLMN is likely to be nearby when it is visiting a different PLMN. Forgoing a PLMN home search reduces processing and can aid in conserving power resources. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US08688109B2
A method and system of providing a mobile data device in a wireless system with information about preferred networks to connect to, the mobile device having a preferred roaming list with a list of networks, the method comprising the steps of: adding to the preferred roaming list information about whether each network in the list of networks supports third generation data capabilities; and determining preferred networks based on information within the preferred roaming list including a geographic area and whether the network supports third generation data capabilities, whereby, within the geographic area, the mobile device prefers networks which support third generation data capabilities over networks which do not support said third generation data capabilities. Other information that may be added to the preferred roaming list includes whether the network supports data roaming, Mobile-IP services or always-on features. The preferred roaming list may also include information about the device service capabilities.
US08688107B2
Each of a number of gateway network radios operates with a transmission protocol of an associated one of plural incompatible communication networks. Each network radio has an audio terminal for producing first audio signals detected from transmissions of user radios in its associated network, and a microphone terminal for receiving second audio signals for transmission to the user radios. A voice bridging gateway server has multiple ports each corresponding to one of the networks for coupling to the network radio associated with the one network. Each port receives the first audio signals from the audio terminal of the associated network radio, and produces the second audio signals for applying to the microphone terminal of the network radio. The server implements a private branch exchange application whereby user radios in a given communication network can be voice bridged with user radios in a selected one or more of the other networks.
US08688099B2
A method comprising configuring and installing a service processor in a wireless communications device that is capable of accessing one or more data services over a first wireless network and over a second wireless network. The service processor, which comprises one or more device agents, at least one of the one or more device agents comprising software or firmware, at least assists in implementing at least a first service policy and a second service policy by: detecting that the wireless communications device is connected to the first wireless network, and, in response, applying the first service policy, where the first service policy assists in controlling usage of the first wireless network associated with a first service activity of the wireless communications device, and detecting that the wireless communications device is connected to the second wireless network, and, in response, applying the second service policy.
US08688093B2
There is disclosed a system, method, and computer readable medium for applying customized settings to a mobile communications device utilizing a removable storage media. The mobile communications device detects when a removable storage media has been operatively inserted. Next it is determined whether there is a customized settings file stored on the removable storage media. The customized settings file contains fields that define one or more characteristics relating to the mobile communications device's configuration. The customized settings in the customized settings file are then applied such that the mobile communications device is configured with the specific settings contained in the customized settings file. The customized settings file may also be stored at and retrieved from a remote location or received in a message using a mobile messaging service utilizing the RF module within the mobile communications device.
US08688090B2
A method includes receiving a request from a user device for a service, initializing the service, initializing a user preference based on a parameter associated with the service and a preference probability value, the preference probability value including a probability that a user would prefer a particular value as a preference based on values selected by other users, and sending data to the user device according to the user preference.
US08688080B1
Visual voicemail enables a user to view a list of voicemail messages and caller information, and select which messages to hear. Currently, a handset accesses visual voicemail using a web interface over a point-to-point network connection with an intermediary gateway. The gateway initiates requests to the voicemail platform on behalf of the handset using a single generic password. There is no direct authentication between the handset client and the voicemail platform. In an embodiment of the invention, the handset requests a password from the voicemail platform using the web interface. The voicemail platform sends a password to the handset via a Short Message Service text message, which is an inherently secure means of communication. The handset then uses the password to request voicemail data from the voicemail platform via the web interface.
US08688079B2
A mobile device can send a notification to place a call using a PBX (e.g., using SIP signaling) or receive a notification of call availability for the mobile device at the PBX. An authentication token is provided over a data channel for use in authenticating the mobile device when calling the PBX on a voice channel. However, when the mobile device calls the PBX (e.g., on a DNIS number, where ANI information is made available to an application server), if ANI information is found to correspond to the mobile device, the PBX can send tone(s) indicating that the mobile device can respond with an abbreviated validation tone, rather than the entirety of the authentication token. If the ANI information is not obtained or not matched, then a different tone(s) is sent, indicating to provide the authentication token. If the authentication token provided does not match or if the mobile device does not respond, the voice channel is not set up.
US08688075B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium comprising instructions for handling insufficient account balance of subscribers in a mobile communications network is disclosed. A request for communication is received from a mobile station. A determination is made as to whether a subscriber of the mobile station has an insufficient account balance. If the subscriber has an insufficient account balance, the request is withheld and the mobile station is notified by a short message.
US08688072B1
A method of electronic communication is provided. The method comprises receiving a first call detail record (CDR), where the first call detail record comprises usage information associated with a portable wireless communication device, and the usage information comprises at least a first parameter. Based on the value of the first parameter, a copy of the first call detail record is transmitted to a computer, where the computer does not perform billing functionality. The computer then changes a subscriber account associated with the portable wireless communication device or changes a provisioning associated with the portable wireless communication device.
US08688071B1
Different emergency alert messages may be provided to different mobile devices within a common geographic region subdivided into a plurality of inner regions. Each inner region may have different emergency alert messages and may be geographically located inside another region.
US08688064B2
A receiver may comprise a plurality of signal processing paths, a bin-wise combiner, and an inverse transformation block. Each signal processing path may comprise a transformation block that is operable to transform a time-domain digital signal to an associated frequency-domain signal having a plurality of subband signals. The bin-wise combiner may be operable to combine corresponding subband signals of the plurality of signal processing paths. The inverse transformation block may be operable to transform output of the bin-wise combiner to an associated time-domain signal. The transformation block in each said signal processing path may be a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) block. The number of points used by the FFT block of any one of said plurality of signal processing paths may be based on the delay spread of a signal input to the one of the signal processing paths.
US08688048B2
A method of calibrating the slope of a received signal strength indicator circuit is disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may adjust for manufacturing process, power supply voltage, and ambient temperature variations by periodically calibrating the measurement of receive signal strength in a RF communication device, using the transmitter of the device. Various embodiments of the present invention may use a look-up table to convert unadjusted receive signal strength values to adjusted receive signal strength values, may adjust the operation of the circuitry generating an indication of receive signal strength, and may adjust thresholds in executable code used to manage the operation of the radio frequency communication system.
US08688046B2
Present embodiments provide methods and systems for identifying quiet and/or under utilized segments of the radio spectrum and assigning the identified spectrum to non-primary license holders. The methods and systems may include spectrum management nodes for monitoring frequency bands of the radio spectrum for transmission by a primary user. When a primary user is not transmitting, segments of the quiet spectrum may be assigned to a non-primary user.
US08688037B2
A mobile computing device and an accessory device are individually equipped with features and components that enable magnetic coupling of the two devices. Specific embodiments provide for the use of one or more horseshoe magnets for use in the magnetic coupling mechanisms. As an addition or alternative, electromagnetic coupling may be used to selectively maintain and/or orient the two devices in a mated position.
US08688034B2
The apparatus comprises a plurality of antennas that are configured to receive wireless signals comprising communication signals and interference signals. Each antenna provides an antenna output signal that is processed by a wireless signal processor of the apparatus to generate a processed wireless signal. A user equipment (UE) communication interface is configured to transmit the processed wireless signal to the mobile wireless communication device. A signal quality feedback interface receives, from the mobile wireless communication device, a wireless feedback signal indicating the characteristic of the processed wireless signal received at the mobile wireless communication device. The wireless signal processor combines the antenna output signals based on the wireless feedback signal to minimize interference signals received at the mobile wireless communication device.
US08688031B2
In order to achieve effective utilization of radio communication resource, there is provided a relay station, for relaying a signal to be transferred between a radio base station and a radio terminal, which includes a storage section adapted to store communication controlling information for communication control with the radio terminal, a base station side signal reception section adapted to receive, from the radio base station, scheduling information in communication between the radio base station and the radio terminal through the relay station, a complementation section adapted to complement contents of the scheduling information received by the base station side signal reception section in accordance with the communication controlling information stored in the storage section, and a terminal side signal transmission section adapted to transmit the scheduling information whose contents are complemented by the complementation section to the radio terminal.
US08688026B2
A computer based system for composing an essay comprising at least one computer-readable medium having one or more executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by at least one processing system, causes the at least one processing system to implement one or more essay generation tools for assisting a user in generating at least one essay.
US08688015B2
A development device includes a developer carrier configured to carry on a surface thereof a developer, the developer carrier being disposed to face a latent image carrier, a developer tank having the developer carrier, a developer container configured to house the developer to be supplied to the developer tank, the developer container being connected to the developer tank through a partition having an opening, and a developer carrier member configured to carry the developer in the developer container, the developer being supplied to the developer tank from the opening while being carried by the developer carrier member, and the amount of developer to be supplied to the developer tank from the opening being gradually increased in a developer carrying direction of the developer carrier member.
US08687999B2
A liquid-cooling-type cooling device includes a circulatory path for coolant that cools a temperature rise portion; a heat absorbing unit that absorbs a heat from the temperature rise portion by the coolant; a heat radiating unit that radiate the heat from the coolant; a pump that circulates the coolant; and a plurality of liquid-contacting metal portions that comes into contact with the coolant, each of the liquid-contacting metal portions being made of a metal material. At least one of the liquid-contacting metal portions is grounded.
US08687994B2
A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the main assembly including a main assembly electrical contact, includes a roller including an electroconductive shaft, the roller being rotatable with the shaft; and a supporting member rotatably supporting the shaft and provided with a hole portion for exposing a part of a surface of a longitudinal end of the shaft to directly contact the part to the main assembly electrical contact and an end surface positioning portion for determining a position of the end surface with respect to a longitudinal direction of the shaft by contacting another part of the end surface.
US08687983B2
A laser communication system and method are disclosed. The laser communication system includes a laser receiver system to receive a frequency-shift keyed (FSK) optical signal encoded with a plurality of data signals. The laser receiver system including an FSK differential detection system that includes a plurality of differential detection filters that can each receive the FSK optical signal and generate an output. The FSK differential detection system can demodulate the FSK optical signal into a multi-bit digital code corresponding to a frequency of the FSK optical signal based on the output of each of the plurality of differential detection filters.
US08687981B2
Methods and systems for split voltage domain transmitter circuits are disclosed and may include amplifying a received signal in a plurality of partial voltage domains. Each of the partial voltage domains may be offset by a DC voltage from the other partial voltage domains. A sum of the plurality of partial domains may be equal to a supply voltage of the integrated circuit. A series of diodes may be driven in differential mode via the amplified signals. An optical signal may be modulated via the diodes, which may be integrated in a Mach-Zehnder or a ring modulator. The amplified signals may be communicated to the diodes, connected in a distributed configuration, via even-mode coupled transmission lines. The partial voltage domains may be generated via stacked source follower or emitter follower circuits. The voltage domain boundary value may be at one half the supply voltage due to symmetric stacked circuits.
US08687968B2
A vector sum phase shifter includes a 90° phase shifter (1) which generates an in-phase signal (VINI) and a quadrature signal (VINQ) from an input signal (VIN), a four-quadrant multiplier (2I) which changes the amplitude of the in-phase signal (VINI) based on a control signal (CI), a four-quadrant multiplier (2Q) which changes the amplitude of the quadrature signal (VINQ) based on a control signal (CQ), a combiner (3) which combines the in-phase signal (VINI) and the quadrature signal (VINQ), and a control circuit (4). The control circuit (4) includes a voltage generator which generates a reference voltage, and a differential amplifier which outputs the difference signal between a control voltage (VC) and the reference voltage as the control signal (CI, CQ). The differential amplifier performs an analog operation of converting the control voltage (VC) into the control signal (CI, CQ) similar to a sine wave or a cosine wave.
US08687961B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to optical broadcast buses configured with shared optical interfaces for fan-in and fan-out of optical signals. In one aspect, an optical broadcast bus comprises a number of optical interfaces, a fan-in bus optically coupled to the number of optical interfaces, and a fan-out bus optically coupled to the number of optical interfaces. Each optical interface is configured to convert an electrical signal produced by the at least one node into an optical signal that is received and directed by the fan-in bus to the fan-out bus and broadcast by the fan-out bus to the number of optical interfaces. Each optical interface also converts the optical signal into an electrical signal that is sent to the electronically coupled at least one node for processing.
US08687960B2
A communication method of an optical communication system in which a plurality of ONUs are connected to an OLT, includes steps (a) allocating, by the OLT, a transmission bandwidth to an ONU capable of an operation in a sleep mode in which an optical transmitter is tentatively halted for a predetermined sleep period, and transmitting a transmission bandwidth notification to the ONU when the ONU is in the sleep mode and when the ONU is not in the sleep mode; (b) receiving, from the ONU to which the transmission bandwidth is allocated, a response signal when the ONU is not in the sleep mode, wherein the response signal is or is not received during the sleep mode; and (c) suppressing, by the OLT, an alarm in the sleep mode, the alarm being caused by a communication failure with the ONU on a basis of the response signal not being received.
US08687953B2
A photographic optical device may include a reflection type optical sensor comprising a light emitting element and a light receiving element; a support body to which the reflection type optical sensor is fixed; a camera module comprising a lens and an imaging element; a shake correction mechanism structured to swing the camera module; a resistor configured to convert an output current of the light receiving element to an output voltage; a home position voltage creating means configured to create a home position voltage; a comparator configured to compare the home position voltage with a predetermined reference voltage; and a variable current source configured to control an electric current supplied to the light emitting element based on an output signal from the comparator. A relative position of the camera module with respect to the support body may be detected by the reflection type optical sensor.
US08687952B2
A heating apparatus includes a ceramic heater including a plurality of ceramic plates having a plate shape, and a housing including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, the housing in which the ceramic heater is installed. The ceramic plates are disposed vertically in the housing in a parallel manner and the outlet hole is disposed in an upper portion of the housing, such that when a fluid flows through a flow path formed along the ceramic plates, bubbles, generated by the fluid heated by the ceramic plates, ascend toward edges of the ceramic plates.
US08687951B2
A fluid heating apparatus includes a housing containing a flattened tube and lamps. The apparatus further includes a first conduit flow-coupled to the flattened tube, the first conduit being adapted to provide fluid to the flattened tube. The apparatus further includes a second conduit flow-coupled to the flattened tube, the second conduit being adapted to channel fluid from the flattened tube. The lamps are arranged to irradiate the flattened tube, and the flattened tube is adapted to absorb radiation from the lamps and heat fluid contained therein.
US08687945B2
Methods and apparatus provide for an abstract model interpreter that defines an abstract model to represent an interactive video. The abstract model is defined independent of any export format. An interface for the abstract model is created to concurrently manage interpreting the abstract model according to a plurality of different export formats. For example, the abstract model interpreter can map a feature of the interactive video, which is described in the abstract model, to a corresponding feature supported by an export format. The interface is thereby utilized to interpret the abstract model to create a formatted interactive video, which is a version of the abstract model compliant with an export format from the plurality of different export formats. The interface further provides an edit capability that allows a user to modify how the feature of the interactive video is to be supported by any of the different export formats.
US08687942B2
A data processing apparatus which divides stream data into portions is disclosed. An evaluation value calculating section calculates an evaluation value at a dividing candidate position of the stream data based on an evaluation function. A comparing section compares the evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculating section with a predetermined threshold value. A dividing candidate position obtaining section obtains the dividing candidate position of the stream data in each predetermined unit. A controlling section decides a dividing position of the stream data based on a compared result of the comparing section. A controlling section causes the dividing candidate position obtaining section to obtain a second dividing candidate position when the compared result of the comparing section denotes that the evaluation value at the first dividing candidate position does not exceed the threshold value.
US08687937B2
A light-guide module includes a light-guide strip having opposite first and second ends, a light-entry surface disposed at the first end, a light-exit surface extending between the first and second ends, and first and second working surfaces disposed parallel to each other and extending between the first and second ends. One of the first and second working surfaces defines a light-scatter zone and includes a plurality of micro-scatter structures that are disposed within the light-scatter zone and that configure the light-scatter zone with a light-scattering ability that varies from the first end to the second end. The light-guide module also includes a reflecting element disposed to reflect light that exits from the light-guide strip via the first and second working surfaces back into the light-guide strip via the first and second working surfaces, respectively.
US08687932B2
Certain embodiments of the invention may include optimized trench-assisted ultra large area (ULA) optical fibers. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a trench-assisted optical fiber, optimized for figure-of-merit (FOM) performance is provided. The optical fiber includes a core region having a longitudinal axis, a shelf region surrounding said core region, a cladding region surrounding said shelf region, said core and shelf and cladding regions configured to support and guide the propagation of signal light in a fundamental transverse mode in said core and shelf regions in the direction of said axis. The optical fiber further includes a core effective area (Aeff) of between 135 μm2 and about 170 μm2; a relative effective index difference (Neff) of greater than about 0.08%; a loss at 1550 nm of less than 0.185 dB/km; and an index profile having a figure of merit (FOM) frontier distance less than about 0.5 dB.
US08687922B2
A parallel scaler unit for simultaneously scaling multiple pixels from a source image. The scaler unit includes multiple vertical scalers and multiple horizontal scalers. A column of pixels from the source image is presented to the vertical scalers, and each vertical scaler selects appropriate pixels from the column of pixels for scaling. Each vertical scaler scales the selected pixels in a vertical direction and then conveys the vertically scaled pixels to a corresponding horizontal scaler. Each horizontal scaler scales the received pixels in a horizontal direction.
US08687916B2
A computer implemented method for correcting distortion in an image of a page includes identifying a set of high quality (HQ) words in undistorted regions of one or more images of pages having content related to the content of the page. At least one distorted word in the image the page is identified such that each distorted word corresponds to a high quality word of the set. A global transformation function is generated for application to the image of the page so as to transform the distorted word into its corresponding high quality word. The global transformation function is applied to pixels of the image of the page.
US08687915B2
A determination image generator of an image processing apparatus compares, in pixel units, sixth image data with seventh image data or second image data. The sixth image data is obtained by selecting, in pixel units, a minimum value of a value of first image data and a value of fifth image data which is edge enhanced data of the first image data. The seventh image data is obtained by performing first processing to second image data. The generator sets in the determination image a third value for pixels where a value of the sixth image data is equal to or less than a value of the seventh image data or the second image data, or is equal to or less than a sum of the value of the seventh image data or the second image data and a first value, and sets a different value for all other pixels.
US08687912B2
A method for sharpening a captured image includes the steps of (i) identifying a plurality of edge pixels in the captured image, (ii) reviewing the plurality of edge pixels to identify one or more line pixels, and one or more non-line pixels in the captured image (354), and (iii) sharpening the captured image utilizing a first level of overshoot control for the non-line pixels (362), and utilizing a second level of overshoot control for the line pixels (360) The method also includes the steps of (i) identifying an intensity value for each of a plurality of neighboring pixels that are positioned near a selected pixel in a predetermined pixel window that have the highest intensity values and the lowest intensity values.
US08687908B2
The disclosure relates to adjusting intensities of images. The method includes receiving information identifying of a plurality of regions within an image; receiving an intensity adjustment of at least one of the plurality of regions; adjusting the intensities of the at least one plurality of regions based on the received intensity adjustment; interconnecting at least two of the plurality of regions by applying a two-dimensional method; generating intensity adjustments for at least one pixel outside the plurality of regions based on the received intensity adjustment of at least one of the plurality of regions and the interconnection of at least two of the plurality of regions; and applying the generated intensity adjustments to the image.
US08687904B2
An image coding method includes: frequency-transforming image data to generate a unit of processing in a frequency domain; binarizing a coefficient included in the unit of processing, to generate a binary signal; determining, as a context for a binary signal, one or more contexts common to a plurality of the coefficients included in a segment which includes the binarized coefficient, the segment being one of a plurality of segments obtained by dividing the unit of processing; performing binary arithmetic coding on the binary signal according to probability information corresponding to the determined context; and updating, based on the binary signal, the probability information corresponding to the determined context.
US08687900B2
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus, method and computer-readable medium of a robot which efficiently manage a moving image acquired by the robot and reinforce security to prevent image leakage. In order to restore an object region within an original image photographed by the robot, a low-resolution image is generated using object password information and the original image to generate image information, and the image information is transmitted to a server over a network. The server detects the object password information and the low-resolution information from the image information and restores a high-resolution object image using the object password information and the low-resolution image.
US08687895B2
An apparatus comprises: a contour extraction unit configured to extract contours of color regions, each of which includes continuous pixels having the same pixel value, in image data; an intersection detection unit configured to detect, as an intersection, a point in each of contours extracted by the contour extraction unit; a division boundary line storage unit configured to store, in association with a contour in which the intersection is detected by the intersection detection unit, contours divided at the intersection as boundary lines; a non-division boundary line storage unit configured to store, in association with a contour in which the intersection is not detected by the intersection detection unit, the contour as a boundary line without dividing the contour; a function approximation unit configured to execute function approximation for each of boundary lines stored by the division boundary line storage unit and the non-division boundary line storage unit.
US08687893B2
Classification algorithm optimization is described. In an example, a classification algorithm is optimized by calculating an evaluation sequence for a set of weighted feature functions that orders the feature functions in accordance with a measure of influence on the classification algorithm. Classification thresholds are determined for each step of the evaluation sequence, which indicate whether a classification decision can be made early and the classification algorithm terminated without evaluating further feature functions. In another example, a classifier applies the weighted feature functions to previously unseen data in the order of the evaluation sequence and determines a cumulative value at each step. The cumulative value is compared to the classification thresholds at each step to determine whether a classification decision can be made early without evaluating further feature functions.
US08687887B2
A region of interest extracting section automatically extracts regions of interest from within original images by obtaining the degree by which the features of portions within the original images differ from the features of surrounding portions, based on the colors of the original images, brightnesses of the original images, and the orientations of linear components that appear in the original images. A partial image generating section generates partial images by cutting out images of predetermined sizes that include the regions of interest, which are extracted by the region of interest extracting section, from the original images. The generated partial images are displayed.
US08687883B2
Embodiments provide a method for merging a plurality of first digital pictures, wherein each first digital picture includes a plurality of pixel values. The method includes extracting details from the plurality of first digital pictures. The method further includes combining the pixel values of the plurality of first digital pictures to generate a combined digital picture. The method further includes modifying the combined digital picture with the extracted details to generate a merged digital picture.
US08687881B2
An image processing device including a decoding unit that decodes compressed image data that is an encoded image and generates a decoded image that is decoded and parameters that relate to encoding which are calculated during encoding; an image processing unit that applies image processing including at least a color adjustment process on the decoded image; a control unit that controls whether to encode the decoded image on which image processing has been applied by the image processing unit using the parameters or to encode the decoded image without using the parameters according to processing of the image processing unit; and an encoding unit that encode the decoded image according to a control of the control unit.
US08687871B2
A method of computed-tomography and a computed-tomography apparatus in which x-ray projection data is acquired at a number of views for a scan of an object. Partial images are created from data for a desired number of said views. Full scan images are created from plural ones of the partial images. Non-overlapping time images are created from the full-scan images. Gradient images are also created. An improved image is created by weighting respective ones of the full scan and non-overlapping time images using the gradient image. The improved image has increased sharpness with reduced noise.
US08687863B2
One aspect of embodiments of the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which specifies one of boundary positions of retina layers in a fundus image showing a retina tomosynthesis, sets a distance transfer function for converting the distance from the specified boundary position to a parameter expressing opacity such that the peak position of the opacity is set to a predetermined position in the retina, sets a luminance transfer function for converting a luminance value of the fundus image to the parameter expressing opacity, and generates a translucent display image by calculating the opacity of respective positions of the tomosynthesis using the distance transfer function and the luminance transfer function, and by volume rendering.
US08687862B2
A platform is proposed for automated analysis of retinal images, for obtaining from them information characterizing retinal blood vessels which may be useful in forming a diagnosis of a medical condition. A first aspect of the invention proposes that a plurality of characteristics of the retina are extracted, in order to provide data which is useful for enabling an evaluation of cardiovascular risk prediction, or even diagnosis of a cardiovascular condition. A second aspect uses fractal analysis of retinal images to provide vascular disease risk prediction, such as, but not limited to, diabetes and hypertension.
US08687855B2
A method for detecting facial feature is provided. Concerned points and concerned areas are extracted from a captured image, and an area which is considered to highly possibly include a facial area is selected. It is determined whether the selected area corresponds to a facial feature by using a support vector machine.
US08687848B2
Techniques are provided for a gesture device to detect a series of gestures performed by a user and execute corresponding electronic commands associated with the gestures. The gesture device detects a gesture constituting movements from a user in three-dimensional space and generates a confidence score value for the gesture. The gesture device selects an electronic command associated with the gesture and compares the electronic command with a prior electronic command associated with a prior gesture previously detected by the gesture device in order to determine a compatibility metric between the electronic command and the prior electronic command. The gesture device then adjusts the confidence score value based on the compatibility metric to obtain a modified confidence score value. The electronic command is executed by the gesture device when the modified confidence score value is greater than a predetermined threshold confidence score value.
US08687845B2
A method, computer-readable storage medium, and apparatus for managing content presented on a display is provided. The method includes receiving signals representing first and second characteristics of a user, presenting first and second images on the display, the first and second images being respectively associated with the first and second characteristics, and presenting association information on the display, the association information indicating an association between the first and second images.
US08687836B2
A loudspeaker system with an enclosure, an electro-acoustic transducer mounted in the enclosure so as to leave space inside of the enclosure that is unoccupied by the transducer, and an air-adsorbing material in the space inside of the enclosure that is unoccupied by the transducer. The air-adsorbing material includes a silicon-based zeolite with a small amount of a second metal. The mole ratio of silicon to the second metal is at least about 200 and is less than 400.
US08687835B2
The invention relates to an improved diaphragm securing mechanism in a sound wave generator system for an electric horn system that includes a monolithic rigid housing member having a receiving opening for fixably housing, in an non-removable and secure manner following assembly, a compressor member, thereby preventing unintended separation and improving a reliability of the electric horn system.
US08687829B2
A parameter transformer generates level parameters, indicating an energy relation between a first and a second audio channel of a multi-channel audio signal associated to a multi-channel loudspeaker configuration. The level parameter are generated based on object parameters for a plurality of audio objects associated to a down-mix channel, which is generated using object audio signals associated to the audio objects. The object parameters have an energy parameter indicating an energy of the object audio signal. To derive the coherence and the level parameters, a parameter generator is used, which combines the energy parameter and object rendering parameters, which depend on a desired rendering configuration.
US08687826B2
An amplifier circuit comprises an input, for receiving an input signal to be amplified; a preamplifier, for amplifying the input signal based on a variable gain; a power amplifier for amplifying the signal output from the preamplifier, and a variable voltage power supply for supplying one or more supply voltages to the power amplifier. The supply voltages are adjusted based on the variable gain or the input digital signal. According to other aspects of the invention, a power supply of an amplifier circuit is clocked using a clock signal, whereby the clock signal has a frequency that varies in accordance with a volume signal or an input signal.
US08687815B2
A method and audio system for processing multi-channel audio signals for surround sound production on a plurality of loudspeakers to a listening area. The plurality of loudspeakers is front located with respect to the listening area. The plurality of loudspeakers comprises an outer left loudspeaker, an inner left loudspeaker, an inner right loudspeaker and an outer right loudspeaker. The multi-channel audio signals comprise one or more low frequency effects audio signals and one or more audio signals categorized as front based left inclined, front based right inclined, rear based left inclined, rear based right inclined, and center based. The method comprising filtering and adjusting phase and amplitude of one or more audio signals that are front based left inclined, front based right inclined, rear based left inclined and rear based right inclined in a specific manner, and transmitting the one or more processed audio signals in a specific manner to the outer left loudspeaker, the outer right loudspeaker, the inner left loudspeaker and the inner right loudspeaker.
US08687808B2
A method for encryption and decryption synchronization for a communications channel comprising encrypting a communications channel using a data encryption device, the communications channel comprising a data stream having unique information native to the data stream, transmitting the encrypted data stream using a transmitter without applying an additional framing structure or a multiplexing signaling message after the data stream is encrypted such that the encrypted data stream does not require additional bandwidth to support cryptographic synchronization, receiving by a receiver comprising a decryption device, the transmitted encrypted data stream, and identifying the unique information within the transmitted data stream by iteratively decrypting the encrypted data stream using a processor until a cryptographic parameter is found that results in cryptographic synchronization between the encryption and decryption devices based on a priori knowledge of the unique information within the transmitted data stream.
US08687800B2
In an encryption method, an input block of data is reversibly processed to produce a string that is at least partially randomized. The randomized string is then encrypted by a block cipher. In decryption, the input block of encrypted data is first decrypted with respect to the block cipher. Then the randomization is reversed.
US08687794B1
The present invention relates to online and offline communication processing and tracking using data processing and data/voice networks. A phone address is automatically assigned to a first entity. A call quality rating is determined and recorded. A call from a caller directed to the phone address is received at a call bridging system coupled to at least one network, wherein the call is associated with call signaling information. Based at least in part on the call quality associated with the caller call, the caller call is assigned to a first location in a call queue. An outbound call is generated from the call bridging system and the inbound and the outbound calls are bridged. One or more parameters of the bridged call are compared to the call quality rating. An indication is recorded regarding the successful bridging of the calls in association with a first entity identifier.
US08687792B2
Dialog management within a call handling system includes monitoring a dialog between a contact and an operator. A first dialog attribute confidence score is generated based on an acoustical analysis of the dialog, and a second dialog attribute confidence score is generated based on a keyword analysis of the dialog. The first and second dialog attribute scores are combined, and a rule is effected in response to a value of the combined dialog attribute score.
US08687784B2
In a method for placing a telephone call, a first telephone receives a request to call a second telephone. The first telephone retrieves a user preference for obtaining location information of the second telephone or of a user of the second telephone. The first telephone obtains the location information from one of a plurality of sources based at least in part on an order of priority of the sources defined by the user preference. The plurality of sources include a social network program. The first telephone determines a local time in a geographical location identified from the location information. The first telephone displays the local time. The first telephone prompts for a decision whether to place the call to the second telephone.
US08687782B1
A call tracking system and method that estimates a number of calls associated with a publication channel. The system uses a sampling algorithm to perform the estimation. The sampling algorithm selects a group of advertisements to serve as a sample group, and determines a distribution of calls for each of the publication channels associated with the sample group. The distribution of calls from the publication channels is assumed to be the same for all advertisements, and the data from the sample group is used to model the performance across all advertisements. The selected advertisements may be associated with one or more advertisers. Pooled or dynamic signal processing methods may also be used to estimate a number of calls associated with a publication channel. The number of calls associated with a publication channel may be utilized to determine the efficiency of, or calculate the revenue share associated with, an advertising campaign.
US08687769B2
A rotatable anode for an X-ray tube comprises a first unit (901) for being hit by a first electron beam, and at least a second unit (902) being hit by at least a second electron beam, the second unit being electrically isolated from the first. In addition, an X-ray system comprises the anode, a main cathode for generating an electron beam, and first electrical potential, and an auxiliary cathode for influencing a second electrical potential. The main cathode deflects the electron beam to heat the auxiliary cathode. Furthermore, a device determines electrical potential by detecting a point of impact of the electron beam onto the anode and/or by detecting an X-ray spectrum of radiation starting from the anode. The electron beam hits the first unit and is deflected, wherein the deflected beam hits the second unit the point of impact. The first unit and/or second unit emit radiation.
US08687765B2
The present application is a self-contained mobile inspection system and method and, more specifically, improved methods and systems for detecting materials concealed within a wide variety of receptacles and/or cargo containers. In particular, the present application is an improved method and system for inspecting receptacles and/or cargo containers using a single boom placed on a turntable with pivot points to allow for folding and unfolding of the boom, such that the inspection system is relatively compact in a stowed configuration and has a low center of gravity lending to greater stability.
US08687762B2
A CT system for scanning a patient is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the system includes a tube/detector system, which can be set by a control device in respect of tube voltage and/or dose power; a patient couch, which can be displaced in a controlled fashion at least in the direction of a system axis; and a computer system, which can control the CT system. In at least one embodiment, the system includes an evaluation unit for a prescribed logical decision tree, which is integrated into the computer system, and which determines examination and scan parameters for the CT system on the basis of the input of at least one patient parameter described in a parameter list and operates the CT system using these examination and scan parameters.
US08687761B2
A shift register circuit includes plural shift register stages for providing plural gate signals. Each shift register stage includes an input unit and a pull-up unit. The pull-up unit is utilized for pulling up a gate signal according to a system clock and a driving control voltage. The input unit is employed for outputting the driving control voltage according to a control signal and an input signal. The input unit includes a switch device having a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor has a first end for receiving the input signal, a gate end for receiving the control signal, and a second end. The second transistor has a first end electrically connected to the second end of the first transistor, a gate end electrically connected to the first end of the first transistor, and a second end for outputting the driving control voltage.
US08687758B2
A access apparatus is set on instrumentation nozzles penetrating a bottom portion of a reactor pressure vessel, in the reactor pressure vessel filling water. The access apparatus has an arm turned, and a mounting fixture that can move along the arm and having a holding member. A cover apparatus having a guide pipe covers the access apparatus, and is installed on the bottom portion in underwater environment in the reactor pressure vessel. The water below the cover apparatus is drained from the reactor pressure vessel to form an air space below the cover apparatus. A variety of device heads is suspended and lowered in the air space through the guide pipe, and mounted to the holding member of the mounting fixture. Repair or preventive maintenance operation against the instrumentation nozzles is performed by the variety of device heads.
US08687750B1
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with signal detection with an adjustable number of interfering signals. According to one embodiment an apparatus includes an interferer counter, a detection method selector, and a signal detector. The interferer counter is configured to identify a number of active interfering signals in a received signal. The detection method selector is configured to select a signal detection method based, at least in part, on the number of active interfering signals identified by the interferer counter. The signal detector is configured to process the received signal according to the signal detection method selected by the detection method selector to detect an intended signal in the received signal.
US08687749B2
A receiver is provided, in particular a mobile Orthogonal Frequency Division (OFDM) receiver, wherein the receiver comprises a receiving unit for receiving a multicarrier signal via a transmitting channel, a channel estimation unit for estimating a channel estimation signal indicative of properties of the transmitting channel based on the multicarrier signal and a feedback provided at a position of a signal processing path of the receiver downstream of the channel estimation unit, and a compensation unit adapted for at least partially compensating signal distortions within the transmitting channel on basis of the multicarrier signal received by the receiving unit and the channel estimation signal estimated by the channel estimation unit, and for outputting the received multicarrier signal with at least partially compensated signal distortions.
US08687748B2
An electronic device capable of performing automatic frequency control (AFC) to maintain frequency and timing without good received bursts, in which an oscillation unit and a baseband processing unit are provided. Wherein, the baseband processing unit computes a compensation adjustment according to a prediction model and stored information regarding a previous digital value adjustment when detecting that the baseband processing unit is incapable of controlling the oscillation unit according to received bursts from the remote communication unit, and adjusts the oscillation unit according to the determined compensation adjustment.
US08687746B2
Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are described for Turbo decoding in a wireless communication system. Turbo encoded wireless signals may be received and demodulated, and forwarded to a branch metric calculator. The branch metric calculator may calculate a set of branch metrics for the demodulated signal. A state metric unit may receive the set of branch metrics and a previously calculated set of state metrics. The state metric unit may perform various comparisons of the set of state metrics before the received set of branch metrics is added to a portion of the state metrics identified through the comparisons.
US08687744B2
Aspects of a method and system for an improved cellular diversity receiver are described. Aspects of the system may include circuitry that enables generation of an initially decoded output bit sequence by a first frame process for a received bit sequence for a plurality of received multipath signals. The first frame process may utilize redundancy based decoding, which imposes at least one physical constraint during the decoding, which may be performed by a decoding algorithm.
US08687743B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting and decoding adaptive equalization training frames (having a frame marker comprised of a string of binary ones and binary zeroes). Training frames are detected by shifting the received data; inserting at least one binary value at one end of the shifted received data to generate a modified version of the received data; applying a logic function to the received data and the modified version of the received data that identifies when corresponding bit positions have different values; and detecting the frame marker when an output of the logic function has a first binary value in an approximate middle of a string of a second binary value. The training frames are decoded using a distance between the approximate center of the frame marker and a predefined binary value in an output of the logic function.
US08687731B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate cycling through precoders for transmitting wireless network communications in a time domain. The precoders can be cycled according to a precoder sequence for each data symbol transmission. When the last precoder is selected the cycle can begin again, a new precoder sequence can be received or defined, and/or the like. A precoder sequence related to a subset of precoders present in a wireless device can be defined sequentially, cyclically shifted according to an identifier or one or more communications parameters, randomly, pseudo-randomly according to an identifier or one or more communications parameters, and/or the like. In addition, the precoder sequence can be utilized to select a precoder for one or more retransmissions. Such cycling of precoders can increase transmit diversity.
US08687728B2
A method of wireless communication is disclosed which includes acquiring a first set of precoding matrices for a set of frequency bands and generating a second set of precoding matrices for the set of frequency bands based on the first set of precoding matrices. The second set of precoding matrices enables a transmission that satisfies a cubic metric criteria in multiple-in multiple-out communication mode in the uplink. In some designs, generating the second set of precoding matrices can be based on restricting the first set of precoding matrices for a set of frequency bands and transmission rank, rotating the first set of precoding matrices based for a predetermined transmission rank, or a combination thereof.
US08687715B2
Aspects of a method and system for a delta quantizer for rate reduction pre-coding matrices may include quantizing a change in channel state information in a MIMO pre-coding system onto a codebook and generating a pre-coding matrix based on at least the channel state information. The channel state information may be a matrix V and one or more associated singular values. The matrix V may be generated using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) or Geometric Mean Decomposition (GMD). One or more columns of the matrix V may be selected based on the one or more associated singular values and may be combined to enable the generation of the pre-coding matrix. The codebook may comprise one or more unitary matrices. An index of an element of the codebook, onto which the change in channel state information is quantized, may be transmitted from a receiver to a transmitter.
US08687714B2
A method, an apparatus, and a system for coding and modulating data are disclosed. The method includes: obtaining, from a receiver and a transmitter, parameters for calculating power consumption of the transmitter; calculating, according to the parameters, the power consumption of the transmitter under various combinations of modulation orders and coding rates supported by the transmitter; and selecting a bitwidth, modulation order, and coding rate corresponding to minimum power consumption of the transmitter to code and modulate data sent to the receiver. The method, apparatus, and system provided in embodiments of the present application save power consumption of the transmitter, and greatly improve energy utilization of a wireless device having a digital processing unit.
US08687711B2
A method of encoding a plurality of adaptive filter coefficients (104, 107, 112) into a bitstream (110). The method comprises the steps of entropy encoding (109) the adaptive filter coefficients (104, 107, 112) into the bitstream (110), whereby a prediction (202) for an instance (204) of the adaptive filter coefficients is determined (201) based on at least one of the remaining adaptive filter coefficients (206), a prediction error (205) is determined (203) based on the difference between the instance (204) of the adaptive filter coefficients and the prediction (202), and wherein the step of entropy encoding (109) the plurality of adaptive filter coefficients (104, 107, 112) comprises entropy encoding (109) the prediction error (205) for the instance (204) of the adaptive filter coefficients and entropy encoding (109) the remaining adaptive filter coefficients (206). Further is provided a corresponding method of decoding a bitstream (110) of encoded adaptive filter coefficients into decoded adaptive filter coefficients (116, 118, 120, 123).
US08687710B2
Presented herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for real-time high definition television encoding. In one embodiment, there is a method for encoding video data. The method comprises performing motion estimation in parallel of a plurality of pictures using original reference pictures associated with the plurality of pictures; examining the plurality of pictures to determine whether their content is complex; and low pass filtering pictures with complex content to smooth them before proceeding to continue with the encoding process.
US08687702B2
Embodiments include implementing a remote display system (either wired or wireless) using a standard, non-custom codec. In this system, the decoder side can be fully implemented using an existing standard from a decode/display point of view and using a single stream type. The encoder side includes a pre-processing component that analyzes screen images comprising the video data to determine an amount of difference between consecutive frames of the screen images, divides each screen image into a plurality of regions, including no change regions, high quality regions, and low quality regions. The pre-processor characterizes each region as requiring a minimum quality level, encodes the low quality regions for compression in accordance with the H.264 encoding standard; and encodes the high quality regions using the lossless compression scheme of the H.264 standard. A no change region is encoded using a version of the H.264 encoding standard that adaptively and dynamically selects between lossless and lossy compression in a manner that optimizes efficiency of the compression operation.
US08687690B2
The present invention provides a transcoder having a MPEG decoder and a MPEG encoder, for changing a GOP structure and the bit rate of an encoded bitstream obtained as a result of an encoding process. The MPEG encoder receives a past encoding parameters generated at a past encoding process as a history information, and performs a present encoding process by using the past encoding parameters selectively so that the present encoding process is optimized. Furthermore, the encoder describe the past encoding parameters into the encoded bitstream as the history information so as to reuse the history information in advance encoding process. The picture quality of the video data does not deteriorate even if decoding and encoding processes are carried out repeatedly by the transcoder.
US08687688B2
The present invention relates to a method for using interlaced video signal of a base layer in interlayer texture prediction. The present method separates interaced video signal of a base layer into even-field and odd-field components, interpolates the even-field and the odd-field components respectively in vertical and/or horizontal direction, and constructs a combined video data by interleaving the interpolated even-field and odd-field components.
US08687686B2
A 3D contents data encoding method includes receiving a plurality of primitive data contained in 3D contents data, and encoding each of the received primitive data in accordance with a predetermined encoding order for the primitive data.
US08687682B2
A communication port and method of adapting a transmit filter in the port to reduce receive errors by a receiver coupled to the transmit filter via a communication channel. The filter has coefficients that are adjusted in response to a first adaptation gain value, decision bits, and receiver error values. During a first time period, the coefficients are adjusted until changes in the coefficients are less than a first threshold amount. Then during a second time period, the coefficients are adjusted using a second adaptation gain value until changes in the coefficients are less than a second threshold amount. The second adaptation gain value is less than the first adaptation gain value and the second threshold amount being less than the first threshold amount. By using two or more adjustment periods with different gain values, the filter is adapted faster than using a single adjustment period with fixed adaptation gain.
US08687678B2
One aspect of the teachings herein relates to signaling codebook restrictions, to restrict the precoder recommendations being fed back from a remote transceiver, so that precoder selections made by the remote receiver are restricted to permitted subsets of overall precoders within a defined set of overall precoders, or to permitted subsets within larger sets of conversion precoders and tuning precoders, for the case where the overall precoders are represented in factorized form by conversion and tuning precoders. As a non-limiting example, these teachings advantageously provide for precoder restrictions in LTE or LTE-Advanced networks, where ongoing development targets the use of larger, richer sets of precoders, and where the disclosed mechanisms for determining, signaling, and responding to subset restrictions provide significant operational advantages.
US08687662B2
Methods and systems for generating pulses of laser radiation at higher repetition rates than those of available excimer lasers are disclosed that use multiple electronic triggers for multiple laser units and arrange the timings of the different triggers with successive delays, each delay being a fraction of the interval between two successive pulses of a single laser unit. Methods and systems for exposing nanoscale patterns using such high-repetition-rate lasers are disclosed.
US08687658B2
A data Interface for transferring digital data between a host and a client over a communication path using packet structures linked together to form a communication protocol for communicating a pre-selected set of digital control and presentation data. The signal protocol is used by link controllers configured to generate, transmit, and receive packets forming the communications protocol, and to form digital data into one or more types of data packets, with at least one residing in the host device and being coupled to the client through the communications path. The interface provides a cost-effective, low power, bi-directional, high-speed data transfer mechanism over a short-range “serial” type data link, which lends itself to implementation with miniature connectors and thin flexible cables which are especially useful in connecting display elements such as wearable micro-displays to portable computers and wireless communication devices.
US08687649B2
A network node that forwards traffic of a converged network received from a source end node receives a second message addressed to the network node, but intended for the source end node. The second message includes at least a portion of a first message originated by the source end node and previously forwarded by the network node. The network node extracts from the first message a source identifier of the source end node in a first communication protocol and determines by reference to a data structure a destination address of the second message in a second communication protocol. The network node modifies the second message to include the destination address and forwards the second message toward the source end node in accordance with the destination address.
US08687646B2
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for bit and power allocation and a communication system. The method for bit and power allocation comprises: determining a set of candidate modulation modes for sub-channels; constructing an SNR lookup table according to a predetermined target BER, the SNR lookup table containing a relationship of an SNR and the number of bits corresponding to a modulation mode in the set of candidate modulation modes at the target BER; obtaining normalized SNRs on the sub-channels; initializing the numbers of bits for the sub-channels; initializing powers for the sub-channels according to the numbers of bits for the sub-channels, the normalized SNRs on the sub-channels and the SNR lookup table; and adjusting the numbers of bits and the powers for the sub-channels in accordance with a principle of maximizing power utilization rate, to obtain the result of the bit and power allocation for the sub-channels.
US08687645B2
A wireless communications device may include a portable housing and a temperature-compensated clock circuit carried by the portable housing. The device may further include a wireless receiver carried by the portable housing for receiving timing signals, when available, from a wireless network, and a satellite positioning clock circuit carried by the portable housing. A clock correction circuit may be carried by the portable housing for correcting the temperature-compensated clock circuit based upon timing signals from the wireless network when available, and storing historical correction values for corresponding temperatures. The clock correction circuit may also correct the temperature-compensated clock circuit based upon the stored historical correction values when timing signals are unavailable from the wireless network, and correct the satellite positioning clock based upon the temperature-compensated clock circuit.
US08687636B1
Techniques for processing packets in a network device include using a configuration table to determine a key corresponding to a packet. The configuration table may be indexed based on contents of a field of the packet (e.g., e/port or e/VLAN) to find a corresponding entry indicating a key format. When a key extension indicator has a first pre-determined value, a key extension field is added to the key format, and when the key extension indicator has a second pre-determined value, the key extension indicator is excluded from the key format. The populated key format or key (including any key extension field, if so determined) is used to determine a processing action for the packet. Key extension indicators support compatibility with non-legacy devices that utilize extended fields in packets, and with legacy devices. Embodiments of methods and network devices that support standard and extended keys are disclosed.
US08687630B2
A communication device for transmitting and receiving messages via an emergency notification network. The communication device includes a receiver configured to receive a data packet from a data broadcasting system, a processor operably connected to the receiver and configured to process the data packet, a memory operably connected to the processor and configured to store data, a mesh network transceiver operably connected to the processor and configured to transmit the received data packet via a mesh network to at least a second communication device, and an output device operably connected to the processor and configured to present an alert corresponding to the data packet.
US08687625B2
A system for transporting public switched network (PSTN) terminated signaling across an Internet protocol (IP) network includes a gateway between the PSTN and the IP network. The gateway receives a telephony signaling message from the PSTN and determines if the telephony signaling message maps to an IP signaling message. If the telephony signaling message does not map to an IP signaling message, the gateway packages the telephony signaling message in a special IP signaling message for transport over the IP network. If the gateway receives a special IP signaling special message, the gateway unpackages the telephony signaling message from the special message for transport over the PSTN. If the gateway receives DTMF signals from the PSTN, the gateway translates the DTMF signals to digits and packages the digits in a special IP signaling message for transport over the IP network. The gateway also packages the DTMF signals in an IP media transport protocol message for transport over the IP network.
US08687623B2
A first fiber channel over Ethernet (FCoE) data forwarder (FDF), comprising a memory coupled to a processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions that cause the processor to receive a base forwarding table from an FCoE controller and manager (FCM), wherein the FDF comprise a plurality of ports, and wherein the first FDF uses the base forwarding table to determine which of the ports to send a first FCoE data frame comprising fiber channel (FC) data, receive a second FCoE data frame comprising a media access control (MAC) address, a port identifier, and FC data, and update the base forwarding table using the MAC address and the port identifier.
US08687618B2
A signal is transmitted in a communication network system, in particular a mobile communication network system, from a user equipment, in particular a mobile user equipment, to a base station, which signal includes an information about the kind of a message intended to be transmitted from said user equipment to said base station, wherein said information must be acknowledged by said base station as a condition for transmitting said message from said user equipment to said base station.
US08687617B2
Techniques to transmit data with cyclic delay diversity and pilot staggering are described. For cyclic delay diversity, OFDM symbols having different cyclic delay durations are generated. The cyclic delay durations for the OFDM symbols may be selected to be time varying with respect to the cyclic delay durations for OFDM symbols transmitted by a neighboring base station. An FDM pilot is generated and multiplexed on multiple sets of subbands in different symbol periods. Waveforms for a second radio technology (e.g., W-CDMA) may be generated for data to be transmitted with this radio technology. The OFDM symbols are multiplexed onto time slots used for OFDM, and the waveforms for the second radio technology are multiplexed onto time slots used for this radio technology. One or multiple modulated signals may be generated based on the multiplexed OFDM symbols and waveforms. Each modulated signal is transmitted from a respective antenna.
US08687610B2
A wireless data communications system includes simplified access points which are connected to ports of an intelligent switching hub. The switching hub relays data packets to the access points in accordance with destination address data in the data communications. In a preferred arrangement the access points are provided with power over the data cable from the switching hub location.
US08687608B2
Techniques for extending coverage of a wireless communication network (e.g., a cellular network) to indoor and other locations are described. A wireless device may communicate with a base station in a wireless network via downlink and uplink frequency channels in a licensed frequency band using frequency division duplexing (FDD). The wireless device may communicate with a piconet base station (PBS) in a pico network (piconet) via the uplink frequency channel using time division duplexing (TDD). The PBS may communicate with the wireless device on the uplink frequency channel and may exchange data with the wireless network via a wireline communication link. The PBS may forward data received from the wireless device to the wireless network and may also forward data received from the wireless network for the wireless device to the wireless device. The PBS may receive paging messages from the wireless network for the wireless device and may forward the paging messages to the wireless device.
US08687598B1
Disclosed is a method the present method may help to minimize or avoid ping-ponging between coverage areas of a wireless communication system, by having a radio access network (RAN) give special consideration to power control commands after receipt of a wireless communication device's (WCD's) handoff request. After the RAN receives the WCD's request for handoff from a first coverage area to a second coverage area, the RAN evaluates power control commands from the WCD for the first coverage area for a time period after the handoff request and, based on the evaluation, determines whether the WCD continues to experience poor RF conditions in the first coverage area 22. If so, the RAN may then allow the handoff (e.g., if other conditions such as channel resource availability are met). And otherwise, the RAN may abort the handoff.
US08687597B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that include determining a local node configuration for a local network node. The local network node configuration can include a local range and a local location. In addition, these systems and methods can include receiving a remote network node configuration for a remote network node via a communications link. The remote network node configuration can include a remote range and a remote location. Also these systems and methods can further include generating a neighbor list that includes the remote network node and the local network node. The neighbor list can be determined using the local network node configuration and the remote network node configuration.
US08687596B2
Apparatus and a method of cell reselection in a wireless telecommunications device operative with a plurality of radio access networks are disclosed. The method comprises, when the device is camped on a first radio access network: ranking cells in a neighboring list according to cell reselection criteria; considering for cell reselection a cell in the neighboring list; when the cell in the list is a cell of a second radio access network different from the first radio access network, applying an algorithm for cell reselection from the second radio access network to the first radio access network; and when the algorithm as applied would result in reselection to the first radio access network, considering for cell reselection another cell in the list.
US08687594B2
Method and apparatuses for power and handoff management in a multiple wireless technology communication device are disclosed. One method includes a wireless device communicating using a first technology, and detecting availability of a second technology. Logic control of the wireless device receives a power level indicator of communication signals of the first technology, and determining an acceptable power level of communication signals of the second technology based on the power level indicator. The logic control determines a requested power level of communication signals of the second technology based on a request from a base station. The logic control provides a modified link quality representation to the base station if the requested power level is greater than the acceptable power level. The wireless device transmits to the base station with the second technology at the acceptable power level.
US08687585B2
An advanced technology frame structure is described herein. The advanced technology frame structure can enhance a first technology frame structure in dimensions of time, frequency, or a combination of time and frequency. A second technology frame structure time division multiplexes second technology subframes with the first technology downlink and uplink subframes. The first technology downlink subframe can be divided into a first technology downlink subframe and one or more second technology downlink subframes. Similarly, the first technology uplink subframe can be divided into a first uplink subframe and one or more second technology uplink subframes. These principles can be expanded upon and can be applied in many communication systems.
US08687583B2
A communication method in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system is provided. The communication method includes: configuring, by a first access point (AP), a first basic service set (BSS) which uses a first primary channel (P-CH) and a first secondary channel (S-CH); and configuring, by a second AP, a second BSS which uses a second P-CH, a second S-CH, a second tertiary channel (T-CH), and a second quaternary channel (Q-CH), wherein a band of the first P-CH overlaps with a band of the second P-CH, and the second P-CH is a common channel which is used in an operation of a member station of the second BSS.
US08687581B2
The present invention relates to a method and device for sending and receiving control data on a wireless communications system employing an aggregated carrier arrangement. In a method for transmitting control data on a wireless communications system supporting carrier aggregation according to one aspect of the present invention, a base station transmits, to a mobile station, information relating to physical cell ID (physical cell identification, hereinafter “PCI”) for use in uplink signal transmission, and receives an uplink signal generated from the mobile station using the PCI.
US08687577B2
With respect to generating and sending a MAC PDU by using the radio resources allocated to the mobile terminal, the level of priority between the buffer status report (BSR) and the established logical channels are defined such that the data of each logical channel and buffer status report can be more effectively, efficiently and quickly transmitted.
US08687571B2
A method for processing a stream of a digital broadcast receiver is provided. The method which processes a stream that is divided into a first area allocated to first mobile data and a second area allocated to normal data, includes: receiving a transport stream including new mobile data in at least a part of the second area separately from the first mobile data, demodulating the transport stream, equalizing the demodulated transport stream, and decoding at least one of the first mobile data and the new mobile data from the equalized transport stream. Accordingly, mobile data services may be provided in various ways.
US08687570B2
Methods and systems for decoding control channels using repetition redundancy may include generating enhanced soft bits by combining soft bits generated from the two GSM SACCH blocks. Combining may comprise averaging soft bits in one GSM SACCH block and corresponding soft bits from the other GSM SACCH block. Information in one GSM SACCH block may be repeated in the other GSM SACCH block. If repetition is detected, the enhanced soft bits may comprise enhanced soft bits for at least a portion of level 1 region and level 3 region of the GSM SACCH block. Otherwise, the generated enhanced soft bits may comprise enhanced soft bits for at least a portion of level 3 region of the GSM SACCH block.
US08687561B2
A method for link adaptation at a base station using metric feedback is disclosed. The method can include the steps of communicating with a mobile station over a communication link having one or more sub-channels and during the communication, receiving from the mobile station information relating to one or more mutual information per coded bit metrics for one or more candidate modulation types. The mutual information per coded bit metrics can be based on channel state knowledge of the sub-channels. Also, based on the received information, the operational performance of the mobile station can be predicted in view of one or more transmission parameters and performance factors and one or more of the transmission parameters can be selected based on a transmission condition of the communication link.
US08687557B2
Techniques for managing a registration of a roaming user terminal (116) in its IMS home network (102) based on a roaming agreement between the visited IMS network (104) and the home IMS network (102) are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for managing user registrations in the first IMS network (102) is provided. The method may be performed in an I-CSCF (106) of the first IMS network and comprises the steps of determining a status change in an automatically established roaming agreement with the second IMS network; and sending, based on the determination result, roaming status update information (204) to an HSS (110) associated with the first IMS network for initiating a registration update of the user.
US08687556B2
A method comprising establishing a first control connection between a home node and a home node gateway having a first control connection identity, establishing a second control connection between the home node gateway and a mobility management device having a second control connection identity, communicating network traffic sent between the home node and the mobility management device on behalf of a mobile device using the first control connection and the second control connection, receiving a mobile device identifier included in a control message sent from the mobility management device using the second control connection in response to an entity type indication sent to the mobility management device from the home node gateway, the mobile device identifier uniquely identifying the mobile device, and correlating the mobile device identifier with a context including the first control connection identity and the second control connection identity.
US08687555B2
A method for transmitting channel status information (CSI) of downlink multi-carrier transmission includes generating the CSI including at least one of a rank indicator (RI), a first precoding matrix index (PMI), a second PMI and a channel quality indicator (CQI) for one or more downlink carriers, the CQI being calculated based on precoding information determined by a combination of the first and second PMIs, determining, when two or more CSIs collide with one another in one uplink subframe of one uplink carrier, a CSI to be transmitted on the basis of priority, and transmitting the determined CSI over a uplink channel. If a CSI including an RI or a wideband first PMI collides with a CSI including a wideband CQI or a subband CQI, the CSI including a wideband CQI or a subband CQI has low priority and is dropped.
US08687548B2
A method is provides in a receiving node for handling status information of data units transmitted from a sending node to the receiving node over a radio link. The receiving node establishes (401) that a number of data units that has been transmitted by the sending node are missing. The receiving node sends (402) a reduced status message to the sending node over the radio link, which message is reduced such that it comprises the negative acknowledgement for a first part of missing data units and omits negative acknowledgements for the rest of the missing data units. The omitted negative acknowledgement for the rest of the missing data units will not erroneously be interpreted as correctly received data units by the sending node.
US08687539B2
A light-weight relay selection mechanism selects the most likely “best” relay station for data transmission from a given source station S to an access point AP using the Initial Receive Signal Strength (IRSS) to infer the future data transmission rate. In the initialization stage, the access point AP constructs a table mapping the IRSSs of receivers to eight levels of transmission rate. In the relay selection stage, relay candidates R measure the IRSSs for the source station S and access point AP and report their IRSS levels to the AP. A contention-based mechanism is dedicated to enabling the candidate with higher IRSS levels to report earlier. With this mechanism, the access point AP is able to select the station with the highest estimated data transmission rate.
US08687518B1
A method for managing virtual device addresses and an address manager for a network test system comprising a plurality of ports including a first port. A respective plurality of virtual devices to be emulated by each of the plurality of ports may be defined, each plurality of virtual devices including a respective first virtual device. Addresses may be automatically assigning to each of the virtual devices in accordance with a start value, an intraport pattern, and an interport pattern.
US08687517B2
A method and device for identifying degradation in service quality for a wireless media service. The wireless media service has a known expected packet generation rate, which may be determined by the device based upon the codec and payload size selected on initiating the media service. At a receiving device, the packets actually received by the device from the other termination point are counted over a time period, and this number is compared with the number of packets that were expected based upon the known packet generation rate. From this comparison a packet loss rate may be determined. If the packet loss rate exceeds a threshold level, then the device may issue a user alert, terminate the service, or take other action. The threshold level may be established based upon a packet loss rate corresponding to a significant degree of service quality degradation.
US08687501B1
The disclosure teaches a method of implementing a system that dynamically learns and applies local configuration for Ethernet OAM. The disclosed system eliminates complexity inherent with standards based Ethernet OAM, therefore reducing errors and enhancing the overall usability of the Ethernet OAM infrastructure.
US08687499B2
A method selects a path for forwarding a data packet in a wireless communication system. A system capacity versus delay impact curve is calculated for a direct path to mobile station. The direct path has a capacity cost based on communication quality of a direct link between a base station and the mobile station. This curve is shifted by a predetermined time corresponding to an additional delay over a relay path to produce a projected capacity curve for the relay path having a second capacity cost determined according to a combined measure of signal quality of multiple links in the relay path. The second capacity cost is multiplied by a capacity cost ratio to produce a relay capacity curve. The direct path or the relay path is selected based on a comparison of the system capacity versus delay impact curve and the relay capacity curve according to a QoS requirement.
US08687498B2
A routing apparatus that determines a path for a flow in a network including a plurality of data links, the routing apparatus including: a constraint condition setting unit configured to generate a constraint condition that has a requirement that an end-to-end quality requirement of the flow is satisfied based on a quality variation occurring in each of the data links owing to the allocation of the flow to each of the data links and another requirement that an end-to-end quality requirement of another flow existing in each of the data links is satisfied based on a quality variation occurring in the another flow owing to the allocation of the flow to each of the data links; and a routing unit configured to determine the path for the flow from among a plurality of paths including the data links within a range satisfying the constraint condition.
US08687485B1
A method and apparatus is disclosed which enables detection of undesired packets received at a device in a network, where the device is a member of a group of devices in the network. A registration table stores transform identifiers for each member of a group and controls the forwarding of the transform identifiers to the members of the group as members are added and deleted. A transform identifier indicates a format or transformation of a packet transmitted by an associated member. The transform identifier can therefore be used at a receiving device to distinguish between transmissions by different members of the group, thereby enabling the receiving device to extract sequence information associated with the member from the packet. The sequence information can be compared against an expected sequence number for the member to determine whether the packet is an undesirable or rogue packet.
US08687483B2
An apparatus to generate test traffic for testing a network. A scheduler may provide packet definition data for a sequence of packets, each packet associated with a respective flow control group. A channelized schedule FIFO (first-in first-out) queue may store the packet definition data. The channelized schedule FIFO queue may include multiple parallel channels, each channel dedicated to storing packet definition data associated with a corresponding flow control group. A plurality of non-channelized packet builder lanes may build packets in accordance with packet definition data read from the channelized schedule FIFO. A channelized output FIFO buffer may store packets built by the plurality of packet builder lanes. The channelized output FIFO buffer may include multiple parallel channels, each channel dedicated to storing packets associated with a corresponding flow control group. An output multiplexor may interleave packets from the channelized output FIFO buffer to form the test traffic.
US08687467B2
A visual display and device and method for producing the display may indicate the time or other data in a bold, elegant, intuitive, and stylistic manner that is easily legible despite obscured vision, viewing distances, or the user's inattentiveness. A minimalistic display may include a shape such as a geometric shape that presents the time by connecting the distal ends of the hour and minute indicators with a possibly time-varying curve. This curve aids in the interpretation of the time. Another embodiment of the invention displays, using a polar coordinate system, two physical parameters on single similar display in an aesthetically-pleasing, elegant, and intuitive method.
US08687461B2
A method, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, includes positioning an elevated handling beam in a slip of a marine vessel, the handling beam extending from an inboard position to a outboard positioned proximate to an open slipway; and moveably positioning a handling winch on the handling beam, the handling winch capable of selectively connecting with a gun assembly and moving the gun assembly vertically and laterally relative to the handling beam.
US08687456B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of N external ports, each of which receives commands, and an internal circuit which performs at least N access operations during a minimum interval of the commands that are input into one of the external ports.
US08687426B2
Multi-semiconductor vertical memory strings, strings of memory cells having individually biasable channel regions, arrays incorporating such strings and methods for forming and accessing such strings are provided. For example non-volatile memory devices are disclosed that utilize NAND strings of serially-connected non-volatile memory cells. One such string can include two or more serially connected non-volatile memory cells each having a channel region. Each memory cell of the two or more serially connected non-volatile memory cells shares a common control gate and each memory cell of the two or more serially connected non-volatile memory cells is configured to receive an individual bias to its channel region.
US08687412B2
A reference circuit discerns high or low resistance states of a magneto-resistive memory element such as a bit cell. The reference circuit has magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) elements in complementary high and low resistance states RH and RL, providing a voltage, current or other parameter for comparison against the memory element to discern a resistance state. The parameter represents an intermediate resistance straddled by RH and RL, such as an average or twice-parallel resistance. The reference MTJ elements are biased from the same read current source as the memory element but their magnetic layers are in opposite order, physically or by order along bias current paths. The reference MTJ elements are biased to preclude any read disturb risk. The memory bit cell is coupled to the same bias polarity source along a comparable path, being safe from read disturb risk in one of its two possible logic states.
US08687411B2
Memory device, semiconductor device, and detecting method for defective memory cell in memory device
To provide a memory device which can perform verification operation for detecting a memory cell whose data holding time is shorter than a predetermined length, accurately in a short time. Each memory cell includes at least a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a transistor which functions as a switching element for controlling supply, storage, and release of charge in the first capacitor and the second capacitor. The capacitance of the first capacitor is thousand or more times the capacitance of the second capacitor, preferably ten thousand or more times the capacitance of the second capacitor. In normal operation, charge is stored using the first capacitor and the second capacitor. In performing verification operation for detecting a memory cell whose data holding time is shorter than a predetermined length, charge is stored using the second capacitor.
US08687409B2
A variable resistance nonvolatile memory device including memory cells provided at cross-points of first signal lines and second signal lines, each memory cell including a variable resistance element and a current steering element connected to the variable resistance element in series, the variable resistance nonvolatile memory device including a write circuit, a row selection circuit, and a column selection circuit, wherein the write circuit: sequentially selects blocks in an order starting from a block farthest from at least one of the row selection circuit and the column selection circuit and finishing with a block closest to the at least one of the row selection circuit and the column selection circuit; and performs, for each of the selected blocks, initial breakdown on each memory cell included in the selected block.
US08687399B2
An Integrated device comprising a first monocrystalline layer comprising logic circuit regions and a second monocrystalline layer comprising memory regions constructed above first monocrystalline layer, wherein the memory regions comprise second transistors, wherein said second transistors comprise drain and source that are horizontally oriented with respect to the second monocrystalline layer, and a multiplicity of vias through the second monocrystalline layer providing connections between the memory regions and the logic circuit regions, wherein at least one of the multiplicity of vias have a radius of less than 100 nm.
US08687390B2
An active clamp DC-DC converter includes a transformer having a primary coil and a secondary coil, a main switching device connected in series to the primary coil of the transformer so that the main switching device and the primary coil are connected in parallel to a DC power source, a reset capacitor, a reset switching device connected in series to the reset capacitor so that the reset switching device and the reset capacitor are connected in parallel to the primary coil of the transformer, a rectifying circuit connected to the secondary coil of the transformer, a smoothing circuit connected to the rectifying circuit, and a control circuit adjusting a dead time that elapses from the time when the reset switching device is turned off until the time when the main switching device is turned on, based on a voltage across the main switching device.
US08687385B2
An AC to DC converter system is disclosed in which a conversion circuit for converting an AC input signal to a DC output signal is operably coupled with an enabling circuit designed for sensing and output parameter indicative of the presence or absence of a load at the DC output. The system is designed so that the conversion circuit operates in an inactive standby state when there is no load, and in an active state for supplying DC power when a load is present. The enabling circuit is configured to operate using low power.
US08687382B2
The present invention discloses circuits and methods for high efficiency and fast response AC-DC voltage converters. In one embodiment, an AC-DC voltage converter can include: (i) a first stage voltage converter having an isolated topology with a power factor correction function, where the first stage voltage converter is configured to convert an AC input voltage to a series-connected N branches of first stage voltages, where N is a positive integer of at least two; (ii) a second stage voltage converter having a non-isolated topology, where the second stage voltage converter is configured to convert one of the N branches of the first stage voltages to a second stage voltage; and (iii) where the second stage voltage and a remaining of the N branches of the first stage voltages are configured to be series-connected and converted to a DC output voltage.
US08687371B2
A tamper respondent module includes a basecard adapted to be inserted into a slot in a rack enclosure comprising at least one guide edge, at least one electrical coupler, a surface and at least one electronic component that contains information in an electronic format. In one example, an outer cover is coupled to the basecard and includes at least five sides. The outer cover is arranged in a covering relationship over the at least one electronic component. In another example, an anti-tamper apparatus is disposed between the outer cover and the surface. In another example, an anti-tamper circuit is electrically coupled to the at least one electronic component. In another example, a thermal frame is thermally coupled to the at least one electronic component.
US08687363B2
The present application provides for an enclosure for mounting electrical components therein. The enclosure may include a base, a roof, a number of side walls, and one or more support ducts extending from the base to the roof. The supports ducts may include an air channel therein extending from the base to the roof.
US08687358B2
The power conversion apparatus includes electronic components constituting a power conversion circuit, a cooler for cooling at least some of the electronic components, and a case housing the at least some of the electronic components and the cooler. The at least some of the electronic components and the cooler are fixed to and integrated in a frame as an internal unit. The frame has such a shape that at least some of the electronic components constituting the internal unit are disposed inside the frame. The frame includes a terminal block on which input/output terminals for inputting and outputting controlled power are mounted for providing connection between the input/output terminals and external devices.
US08687348B2
Various embodiments provide safety disconnect systems for a power system. In one aspect, a safety disconnect system includes an enclosure operative to receive a plurality of input power lines into the enclosure and provide a plurality of output power lines out of the enclosure. Each input power line is coupled to and paired with a corresponding one of the output power lines, where each input power line and output power line is operative to provide power from a power source. A plurality of switches are provided in the enclosure, each of these switches coupled between an associated one of the pairs of input power line and output power line, and each switch operative to disconnect the associated input power line from the corresponding output power line.
US08687343B2
A substrate mounting table of a substrate processing apparatus includes a base portion and a circular plate-shaped electrostatic chuck adhered to an upper surface of the base portion by an adhesive layer. The electrostatic chuck has a circular attracting surface to support a substrate. The substrate mounting table further includes an annular focus ring arranged around the electrostatic chuck to surround the substrate and to cover an outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the base portion. The electrostatic chuck has a two-layer structure including an upper circular part and a lower circular part having a diameter larger than that of the upper circular part. An outer peripheral portion of the lower circular part and an outer peripheral portion of the adhesive layer adhering the lower circular part to the base portion are covered with the focus ring.
US08687340B2
A method of and actuator/device for passively actuating or protecting a system, body or circuit during a lightning strike or other high voltage/current generation event, utilizing an active material element activated by the spike in current or voltage potential, and preferably a barrier connected in series to the element and configured to be overcome by the voltage/current event, so that the element is activated only during the event.
US08687333B2
An overcurrent protection circuit for a high side solenoid switch includes a primary bias circuit and a secondary bias circuit. The secondary bias circuit is operable to alter a source to gate bias voltage of the high side solenoid switch during an overcurrent.
US08687330B2
The invention provides a low cost semiconductor device with which it is possible to easily select IGBT soft shutdown characteristics appropriate to a system.The drive IC (100) is configured of an output stage circuit (1), a shutdown circuit (2), a logic circuit (3), and an alarm signal processing circuit (4), the shutdown circuit (2) is configured of a resistor circuit (5) and an n-MOSFET (8), and the resistor circuit (5) is formed by an n-MOSFET (9), a resistor (10), and a switching conductor (11). By switching the switching conductor (11) of the resistor circuit (5) among A, B, and C conditions, it is possible to easily select shutdown characteristics of an IGBT (61) appropriate to a system.
US08687328B2
A photovoltaic inverter for coupling a direct current photovoltaic source to an alternating current energy grid and performing a low voltage ride through. The inverter includes a power bridge to convert direct current voltage to alternating current voltage. A switching crowbar is coupled to the photovoltaic energy source and the power bridge. The crowbar has a switching device having a closed position causing the switching crowbar to dissipate energy from the photovoltaic energy source and an open position to allow direct output from the photovoltaic source to the power bridge. A voltage sensor detects a low voltage condition on the grid. A controller is coupled to the voltage sensor and controls the switching crowbar when a low voltage condition is detected. The switching device is placed in the closed position when the voltage from the photovoltaic energy source is higher than a predetermined threshold voltage and the switching device being placed in the open position when the voltage of the photovoltaic source reaches the voltage when the low voltage condition is detected.
US08687306B1
Systems and methods for writing a sequence of data to a disk drive using sorted data zones are provided. In one embodiment, a multi-head disk drive comprises a plurality of disk surfaces, wherein each disk surface comprises a plurality of data zones, each data zone having a data transfer rate different from the other zones of the respective disk surface. The multi-head disk drive also comprises a head assembly comprising a plurality of heads, wherein each head is configured to write data to a respective one of the disk surfaces, and a controller configured to operate the plurality of heads to sequentially write a sequence of data blocks to the plurality of disk surfaces in accordance with a list of head-zone combinations ordered from highest data rate to lowest data rate, each head-zone combination corresponding to one of the heads and a data zone of the respective disk surface.
US08687292B2
An image system lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with negative refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface. The second lens element has positive refractive power. The third lens element has refractive power. The fourth lens element with negative refractive power has a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface. The plastic fifth lens element with positive refractive power has at least one aspheric surface. The plastic sixth lens element with refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, and has at least one aspheric surface, wherein the image-side surface thereof changes from concave at a paraxial region to convex at a peripheral region.
US08687277B2
A “Stacked-Grating Light Modulator” (“SGLM”) comprises two diffraction grating elements, a reflection grating and a transmission grating, in close parallel proximity. An incident beam transmits through the transmission grating and is reflected by the reflection grating back through the transmission grating. The relative lateral position of the two gratings is varied to modulate the beam's zero-order reflectance.
US08687269B2
An optical amplifier has a low polarization dependent gain. The amplifier includes a gain medium including a plurality of adjoining semiconductor layers to provide optical gain wherein the adjoining semiconductor layers define one or more quantum wells for electrons and are operative to provide both direct and indirect electron-hole transitions in the gain medium. A first quantized electron energy level in the conduction band and a first quantized hole energy level in the valence band is located in a first layer. A further first quantized hole energy level in the valence band is located in an adjacent second layer.
US08687262B2
An ion conductor includes a mixture including an electrolyte including a salt including inorganic or organic pairs of negative and positive ions, and a low-molecular liquid crystal material. Further, an impedance of the ion conductor varies in accordance with an increase of a voltage applied to the ion conductor due to an orientation response of the low-molecular liquid crystal material, the impedance being determined by an AC impedance method.
US08687246B2
A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel array in which a plurality of unit cells are arranged to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells includes a pixel, and the pixel comprising a photoelectric conversion element and an in-pixel readout circuit which outputs a signal corresponding to charges generated in the photoelectric conversion element, power is supplied to the plurality of unit cells via a power supply line and a ground line, and at least one of the plurality of unit cells includes at least a part of a capacitive element having a first electrode connected to the power supply line and a second electrode connected to the ground line.
US08687242B2
In a digital multi-function peripheral, a QR code generation section generates image data of a QR code on the basis of first data for security of obtained image data. An encryption section encrypts second data for security of the image data. A micro gradation generation section generates a micro gradation (a gradation pattern) on the basis of the second data having been encrypted by the encryption section and history data, and adds the micro gradation to the image data of the QR code generated by the micro gradation QR code generation section.
US08687223B2
An image processing method includes storing image data in a storage unit; setting a common region in the storage unit, the common region including an input image data storage region and an output image data storage region; sequentially storing the image data that is compressed at a preset compression ratio in the input image data storage region; sequentially expanding the image data stored in the input image data storage region; temporarily storing the expanded image data in the output image data storage region; and controlling allocation of the input image data storage region and the output image data storage region in the common region. In an embodiment, the allocation of the input image data storage region and the output image data storage region in the common region may be determined depending on the compression ratio of the sequentially inputted image data.
US08687214B2
Provided are an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus and a mobile terminal, and a control method of controlling the image forming apparatus. Wireless communication is enabled between the mobile terminal and the image forming apparatus owing to receipt of print data and account information, which is for placing the image forming apparatus in a state in which wireless communication is possible, from the information processing apparatus. After wireless communication is enabled, the image forming apparatus receives authentication information from the mobile terminal and, if this authentication information corresponds to the account information, start printing based upon the print data received from the information processing apparatus.
US08687213B2
Systems and methods of data filtering for a print service provider (PSP) are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving a plurality of print service parameters. The method also includes filtering the plurality of print service parameters, wherein a portion of the received plurality of print service parameters are retained in machine readable format. The method also includes saving the filtered print service parameters for enhancing automatic and manual print production processes.
US08687211B2
In an image forming apparatus including a control unit made of a display panel and a touch panel display for providing preview display, the touch panel display includes: a finished state preview controller for displaying the finished state of a hard copy formed by the image forming apparatus, on the display panel; and a confirmatory display controller for displaying preview images for confirmation in a turning manner. The display panel includes a first display area for displaying the finished state of the hard copy, a second display area for displaying a image of the page to be turned for confirmation and a third display area for displaying the images that have been displayed for confirmation, in order in a layered manner.
US08687200B2
Measurement of motion errors of a linear stage is performed to enable accurate measurement of motion errors in linear directions and a rotational direction in the linear stage using a diffraction grating. A first beam splitter splits a laser beam emitted from a light emitting unit. A first measurement unit measures a unidirectional linear motion error of the linear stage using one laser beam component split by the first beam splitter and a second measurement unit measures an angular motion error and another unidirectional linear motion of the linear stage error using a diffracted beam component obtained by diffracting another laser beam component split by the first beam splitter through the diffraction grating. A third measurement unit circularly polarizes the beam component diffracted through the diffraction grating to measure a third unidirectional linear motion error of the linear stage.
US08687199B2
An interferometer type deflection measuring device having a radiation source, a first fiber-optic means forming a first light path, a second fiber-optic means forming a second light path, a deflection body and an evaluation circuit, the first and second fiber-optic means receiving radiation from the radiation source on an input side, and radiation guided in the first and second fiber-optic means, respectively, being brought together on an output side with interference radiation being conveyed to the evaluation circuit for evaluation. The first fiber-optic means and the second fiber-optic means are arranged only on the deflection body, at least one of the first and second fiber-optic means being connected on the input side to the beam source with a single feed optical fiber and at least one of the first and second fiber-optic means being connected on the output side to the evaluation circuit by a single evaluation optical fiber.
US08687193B2
A color measurement device includes a light pipe and a light source. The light pipe is oriented length-wise towards a color sample surface along a first axis that is non-perpendicular to the surface. A color sample is positioned on the surface. The light pipe has a near opening, a far opening, and a face at the far opening. The near opening is closer to the color sample than the far opening. The light source is positioned near the far opening of the light pipe, and is to output light along a second axis and into the light pipe at the far opening. The light reflects off the surface after exiting the light pipe at the near opening. The second axis is non-perpendicular to the face of the light pipe at the far opening. The light non-uniformly illuminates the color sample after exiting the light pipe at the near opening.
US08687182B2
A surface inspection apparatus and a surface inspection method aim to securely deal with finer repetition pitch without shortening the wavelength of illumination light. To this end, the apparatus includes a unit illuminating repetitive pattern(s) formed on the substrate surface to be inspected with linearly polarized light, a unit setting to an oblique angle an angle between the direction of an intersecting line of a vibration plane of the linearly polarized light on the substrate surface and the repetition direction of repetitive pattern(s), a unit extracting a polarized light component perpendicular to the vibration plane of the linearly polarized light, from light having been emitted from the repetitive pattern(s) in a specular direction, and a unit detecting a defect of the repetitive pattern(s) according to the light intensity of the polarized light component.
US08687175B2
A method is provided for monitoring velocity of a fluid flow through a predetermined fluid flow space. A fiber optic conductor includes a flow measurement portion defining an elongated dimension extending across a portion of the fluid flow space. The fluid flow in the fluid flow space causes the measurement portion of the fiber optic conductor to flex in a direction transverse to the elongated dimension. Optical radiation is supplied to the fiber optic conductor, and optical radiation is received from the fiber optic conductor after the supplied optical radiation has passed through the measurement portion. The received optical radiation is analyzed to effect a determination of a flow velocity of the fluid flow.
US08687169B2
An optical module includes an aperture device and a support structure supporting the aperture device. The aperture device defines an aperture edge and an aperture plane. The aperture edge is adapted to define a geometry of a light beam passing the aperture device along an optical axis. The support structure is adapted to hold the aperture device in a defined manner when the aperture plane is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. A temperature distribution prevails within the aperture device and at least one of the aperture device and the support structure is adapted to maintain at least one of a relative position of the aperture edge with respect to the optical axis and a geometry of the aperture edge substantially unaltered upon an introduction of a thermal energy into the aperture device, where the thermal energy being adapted to cause an alteration in the temperature distribution.
US08687168B2
A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which measures are taken to prevent or reduce the presence of bubbles in liquid through which the projection beam radiates. This may be done, for example, by ensuring that a gap between a substrate and a substrate table is filled with immersion liquid or by causing a localized flow radially outwardly from the optical axis in the vicinity of the edge of the substrate.
US08687165B2
An imaging system for imaging an object onto an image sensor, and which has a front side facing the object and a rear side facing away from the object, the rear side being arranged behind the front side as viewed from the object. Furthermore, the imaging system has a light entrance device at the front side through which light coming from the object can enter into the imaging system. In this case, the light traverses the beam path between object and image sensor. At least one first and one second optical element are likewise present and are arranged at the rear side in such a way that they can influence the beam path. The light entrance device has an electrically switchable liquid crystal element which deflects the beam path at at least one first angle and a second angle which is different from the first angle depending on the electrical switching state. A discretely switchable focal length change is realized by this electrically effected change in the beam path.
US08687161B2
A new TFT arrangement is demonstrated, which enables prevention of TFT to be formed over a joint portion between the adjacent SOI layers prepared by the process including the separation of a thin single crystal semiconductor layer from a semiconductor wafer. The TFT arrangement is characterized by the structure where a plurality of TFTs each belonging to different pixels is gathered and arranged close to an intersection portion of a scanning line and a signal line. This structure allows the distance between regions, which are provided with the plurality of TFTs, to be extremely large compared with the distance between adjacent TFTs in the conventional TFT arrangement in which all TFTs are arranged in at a regular interval. The formation of a TFT over the joint portion can be avoided by the present arrangement, which leads to the formation of a display device with a negligible amount of display defects.
US08687159B2
A liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal display device of an in-plane switching mode includes gate lines and data lines which cross each other on a substrate to define pixel regions, thin film transistors which are formed at crossing portions of the gate lines and the data lines, first common lines formed on the same layer as the gate lines, first electrode fingers which have a plurality of diverged first fingers and include L-shaped protruded patterns at one ends of the first fingers in the pixel regions, and second electrode fingers which have second fingers formed alternately with the first fingers and include |-shaped patterns at one ends of the second fingers in the pixel regions, wherein the L-shaped protruded patterns and the |-shaped patterns overlap partly with the first common lines.
US08687152B2
Provided is an image display device including an image display cell and a polarizing plate placed on a viewer side of the image display cell. The first polarizing plate includes a polarizer and a first protective film. The first protective film is placed on a viewer-side principal surface of the polarizer and satisfies following relations: (i) 0 nm≦Re1≦3000 nm; (ii) Nz1≧7; and (iii) Rth1>2500 nm. Re1, Rth1 and Nz1 are defined by following equations: Re1=(nx1−ny1)d1; Rth1=(nx1−nz1)d1; and Nz1=Rth1/Re1, wherein d1 represents a thickness of the first protective film, nx1 represents a refractive index in a direction of an in-plane slow axis of the protective film, ny1 represents a refractive index in a direction of an in-plane fast axis of the protective film, and nz1 represents a refractive index in a direction of the thickness of the protective film.
US08687145B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an organic electroluminescent device including a substrate, a first electrode, one or more organic material layers, and a second electrode in a sequentially deposited form, wherein a light scattering layer is provided between the substrate and the first electrode, and includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal vertically aligned to the substrate, and a method for fabricating the same.
US08687139B2
An LCD device adapted to prevent a malfunction due to static electricity is disclosed. The LCD device includes: a liquid crystal display panel; a panel guider configured to support edges of the liquid crystal display panel; a bottom cover combined with the panel guider; and at least one conductive tape attached to the liquid crystal display panel and the bottom cover, and configured to include: a plurality of slit trains formed in a pattern, that positions of slits in one of the slit trains are shifted from those in adjacent slit trains along a first direction.
US08687137B2
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD), comprising: a backlight unit; a plurality of optical films disposed above the backlight unit; and a liquid crystal panel disposed above the optical films, wherein a protection layer is disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the optical films in order to support the liquid crystal panel when the liquid crystal panel is bended.
US08687128B2
The disclosure is directed to systems and methods of navigating previously viewed channels. In a particular embodiment, a method may include maintaining a channel list in a memory, the channel list comprising multiple previously viewed channels. The method may also include receiving a first signal to select a first selected channel in the channel list. The method may also include tuning a channel tuner to the first selected channel.
US08687126B2
Provided is a digital image signal processing method, a recording medium for recording the method, and a digital image signal processing apparatus, in which a storage area of a memory may be efficiently used and an image desired by a user can be stored even when the storage area of the memory is insufficient. According to the present invention, a scene of an image may be recognized and a resolution and an image quality may be modified according to the recognized scene, thereby efficiently using the storage area of the memory.
US08687117B2
Data transmission device, data reception device, data transmission method, and data reception method
There is provided a data transmission device including a transmission unit which transmits, via a transmission path to a data reception device, video data received by the data transmission device and packetizes closed caption data which was received by the data transmission device and transmits the closed caption data packetized via the transmission path to the data reception device, where the transmission path is constituted by a transmission channel included in a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable.
US08687115B2
An imager achieves a desired image resolution by successively reproducing partial images which complement each other. The imager assigns pixels from an input image to the respective partial images according to complementing patterns that correspond to the pixel pattern of the imager. The imager reproduces the complementing pattern at different spatial positions, such that the complementing patterns merge. In order to avoid perceived double imaging of moving objects the image signal provided to the imager is assembled from an original image and a motion compensated interpolated image, which is derived from at least two consecutive images. Accordingly, every other partial image that is reproduced is derived from an interpolated image and takes into account movement of objects in the image that takes place between two consecutive images. In one embodiment the partial images are re-combined into one full image in a sequence that anticipates the distribution of the pixels used in the imaging device.
US08687112B2
The present invention discloses an adjustment device and method thereof which are applied for adjusting a photosensitive element. The adjustment device comprises a first platform, a second platform, a third platform and a cover. The first platform comprises a curved surface body and a positioning elastic element. The second platform, having a recess corresponding to each curved surface body and having a loading support portion, is arranged on a side of the first platform. The third platform is arranged on the other side of the first platform, and when the third platform, moves in an axial direction, the first and second platform moves together with the third platform. The cover compresses the photosensitive element against the second platform. When the inclination of photosensitive element is adjusted by the adjustment device, each curve surface body and each recess keep in contact due to the expansion of each positioning elastic element.
US08687110B1
In one embodiment, a camera is provided that includes: an image sensor configured to provide an image signal; an automatic gain control (AGC) unit configured to determine an AGC control signal for controlling a gain applied to the image signal; a cooler configured to cool the image sensor; and a thermal control circuit configured to compare the AGC control signal to a threshold, wherein the thermal control circuit is further configured to turn on the cooler if the comparison indicates that the AGC control signal exceeds the threshold.
US08687102B2
An electronic camera is used with a display screen and includes an imaging device, a pixel density converter, a moving image recording device and a still image recording device. The imaging device images an object and converts the imaged object to image information. The pixel density converter converts the image information converted by the imaging device to a pixel density suitable for a scan format of the display screen. The moving image recording device successively retrieves the image information from the pixel density converter and records the image information in the recording medium as a series of moving images. The still image recording device retrieves the image information converted by the imaging device and records the image information in the recording medium as a still image.
US08687076B2
A moving image photographing apparatus that recognizes the shape of a speaker's mouth, and/or recognizes the speaker's voice to detect a speaker area, and selectively performs image signal processing with respect to the detected speaker area, and a moving image photographing method using the moving image photographing apparatus. The moving image photographing apparatus may selectively reproduce a moving image by generating a still image including the speaker area and using the still image as a bookmark.
US08687073B2
A multi-channel imaging device is provided. The multi-channel imaging device comprises a focal plane array comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band. Subsets of the array of pixels are arranged to define a plurality of unit cell image areas. The multi-channel imaging device also comprises a lens array comprising a plurality of lens elements configured to image a scene onto the plurality of unit cell image areas. The lens elements and the unit cell image areas define a plurality of unit cells comprising at least one lens element and at least one unit cell image area. Each of the plurality of unit cells is configured to create a complete image of the scene. Additionally, a plurality of unit cell filters corresponding to the plurality of unit cells is configured to filter radiation such that each unit cell is dedicated to an image channel is also provided.
US08687071B2
In an aspect of the composite image creating method according to the present invention, an information processing apparatus executes the steps of: inputting material candidate images which are images composed of frames of a moving image and/or a plurality of still images that were taken by an image-taking apparatus; detecting a movement of the image-taking apparatus at image-taking time points of all or some of the material candidate images or analysis time points that are time points in a neighborhood of the image-taking time points; determining a condition for generating a composite image from among the material candidate images based on the movement of the image-taking apparatus detected; and creating a composite image based on the material candidate images and on the condition determined.
US08687070B2
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed to correct for tilt and/or perspective distortion in image capture devices. In some embodiments, the method may include reading an orientation measurement associated with a relative position of an image capture device with respect to an object, determining if the orientation measurement is less than a threshold, and in the event that the orientation measurement is less than the threshold, correcting an image obtained by the image capture device. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include an image sensor, a memory coupled to the image sensor, an orientation measurement device coupled to the image sensor, and a distance measurement device coupled to the image sensor, where the image data may be stored in the memory along with a measurement from the accelerometer and along with a measurement from the distance measurement device.
US08687068B2
A pattern includes a spatial configuration of color codes. Each color code is a unique configuration of colors selected from a number of basis colors. The color codes each include the same number of colors.
US08687061B2
The present invention relates to an entrance guard device with light-uniformization structure, comprising: a housing, a main controlling module, a keypress module, a display module, a doorbell module, and an image capture module, wherein the image capture module consists of an image capture device accommodating body, a light-emitting assembly, an image capture device, a light-uniformization member, and a lens. In the present invention, the light-uniformization member is disposed at the front of a plurality of light-emitting chips of the light-emitting assembly, such that the light emitted by the light-emitting chips is able to enter the light-uniformization member, and then the light would be uniformly emitted by the light-uniformization member after the light are refracted; Therefore, the uniform light may shine on people face for making an image capture device of the image capture module capture the facial feature of people completely and clearly.
US08687055B2
A spectral imaging system for collecting spectral information of a two dimensional heterogeneous objects while in motion relative to the imaging system without the use of a spectrograph, filters or any dispersive optics. The system includes a pulsed light source tunable in wavelength for producing short pulses of wavelength tuned light at a plurality of selected narrow band wavelengths within a spectral range and one or more optical components for conveying or directing the short pulses of light to a two dimensional region that is substantially stationary with respect to the imaging system and through which the two dimensional target is moving. The system also includes a many pixel camera synchronized with the tunable pulsed light source. The camera is adapted to detect light in the selected narrow band wavelengths produced by the tunable pulsed light source and reflected from or transmitted through the two dimensional target in motion relative to the imaging system and to provide image frame information with each frame at a defined wavelength band. A processor processes information from said tunable light source and said camera and to produce multi-spectral images of the target.
US08687047B2
A stereoscopic image with a predetermined parallax can be automatically taken, and a stereoscopic image with an arbitrary parallax can also be taken based on selection made by a photographer. An imaging apparatus includes two or more imaging systems. First, a guidance indicating that a first imaging system is used to take a first image and that a second imaging system is used to take a second image, is displayed on a monitor of the imaging apparatus. After the first image is shot by the first imaging system, a live view image shot by the second imaging system is displayed in a semi-transparent manner with the shot first image on the monitor, and a guidance is also displayed on the monitor. When the release switch is depressed, the second image is shot by the right imaging system.
US08687039B2
Techniques for diminishing an appearance of a participant's double chin during video conferencing. A participant's image is captured with an input device and processed so as to diminish the appearance of a double chin between the participant's chin and neck. The processed image with a diminished double chin appearance is outputted to both the participant's video conferencing graphical user interface and to the graphical user interface of a remote participant that the participant is communicating with in the video conferencing session. The diminished double chin appearance may be dynamically modified in real time during the video conference.
US08687034B2
An exposure apparatus that emits light toward a latent-image bearing member configured to bear a latent image, the latent image formed on the latent-image bearing member being used in a developing process performed by a developing device. The exposure apparatus includes a first light-emitting unit including an organic electroluminescence element disposed along a main scanning direction of the latent-image bearing member, the first light-emitting unit emitting light toward the latent-image bearing member, and a second light-emitting unit disposed along the main scanning direction, the second light-emitting unit correcting an amount of light to which the latent-image bearing member is exposed in cooperation with the first light-emitting unit.
US08687031B2
A printing control unit for a thermal printer that prints by applying heat energy to a recording medium and is able to operate in multiple print modes, includes a line buffer unit, a shift register unit, and a configuration registration unit. The line buffer unit accumulates current dot printing data supplied from a host. The shift register unit gets and passes the current dot printing data and previous dot history data from the line buffer unit to a logic circuit unit. The configuration registration unit stores configuration data for setting data logic of the logic circuit unit.
US08687029B2
The present invention discloses a method for reducing ripple noise on the image of a display. The steps of the method include: (a) providing a first potential signal to a backlight module by an inverter; (b) resetting the inverter; (c) providing a second potential signal to the backlight by the inverter, wherein the phase difference between the first potential signal and the second potential signal is 180 degrees; (d) resetting again the inverter; and (e) repeating the steps (a) to (d) Consequently, the ripple noise present on the display would be effectively reduced by the alteration of the bright areas and dark areas on the display panel in conjunction with the persistence of vision of the user's eyes.
US08687027B2
A display panel driver includes a color reducing circuit and a driving section. The driving section is configured to drive a first pixel and a second pixel. If a second input image data and a third input image data corresponding to the second pixel are supplied as an image data of a second image display format, then the color reducing circuit generates a third color reduction image data and a fourth color reduction image data. If the first input image data is supplied as the image data of the first image display format, then the first selector selects the third error value, and if the second input image data and the third input image data are supplied as the image data of the second image display format, then the first selector selects the second error value.
US08687026B2
Disclosed embodiments relate to a display temperature detection system that can detect temperature variations in different regions of a display panel. The temperature measuring display system includes a display panel that provides graphical images. Further, the temperature measuring display system includes temperature measurement circuitry. The temperature measurement circuitry includes one or more thermal diodes, transistors, or a mesh layer useful to determine at least one temperature measurement of the display panel.
US08687021B2
A system (and corresponding method) that can enhance a user experience by augmenting real-world experiences with virtual world data to is provided. The augmented reality system discloses various techniques to personalize real-world experiences by overlaying or interspersing virtual capabilities (and data) with real world situations. The innovation can also filter, rank, modify or ignore virtual-world information based upon a particular real-world class, user identity or context.
US08687019B2
An image display system includes an image display device and an image information processing device. The image display device includes a display side input section receiving a plurality of pieces of image information and cursor position information, an image combining/displaying section for displaying a composite image of the plurality of pieces of image information, and a cursor display section for displaying a cursor based on the cursor position information. The image information processing device includes an output section for outputting the image information and the cursor position information, a processing side input section for receiving input of composite image information, and a cursor position information processing section selecting either of a first cursor correspondence process corresponding to the image information sent to the image display device and a second cursor correspondence process corresponding to the composite image information and then performing the cursor correspondence process thus selected.
US08687017B2
A method for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an original image for display on a display screen, comprising: establishing a focal region for the region-of-interest at least partially surrounded by a shoulder region; creating a focal region image for the focal region by scaling the original image within the focal region by a focal region magnification; creating a shoulder region image for the shoulder region by scaling the original image within the shoulder region by a shoulder region magnification, the shoulder region magnification being less than the focal region magnification; and, overlaying the focal region image and the shoulder region image on the original image to thereby generate the presentation.
US08687013B2
Method, apparatus and system for providing a color device characterization with a quality evaluation
A method, apparatus and system for assessing color characterization quality includes a characterization unit configured for determining at least one of a forward and inverse transform from a first set of device dependent input color values and measured output display values of the first set of device dependent input color values on the display and transforming a second set of device dependent input color values using the determined at least one of a forward and inverse transform to provide an intermediate set of device dependent input color values. The method, apparatus and system further includes a verification unit for performing at least one of a forward transform quality evaluation and an inverse transform quality evaluation.
US08687012B2
An example of a game apparatus includes a CPU, and in a mode of examining a flower based on an imaged image, the CPU activates two outward cameras to thereby display an imaging screen on a stereoscopic LCD and a lower LCD. In the center of an upper screen displayed on the stereoscopic LCD, a designation image for adjusting a position and a size of an object to be imaged is displayed. Also, on the upper screen, a through image imaged by the outward camera is displayed, and the designation image is displayed in front of the through image. At this time, the designation image is displayed in a complementary color of a color of the through image.
US08687007B2
Exemplary embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and systems for seamlessly migrating a user visible display stream sent to a display device from one rendered display stream to another rendered display stream are described. For one embodiment, mirror video display streams are received from both a first graphics processing unit (GPU) and a second GPU, and the video display stream sent to a display device is switched from the video display stream from the first GPU to the video display stream from the second GPU, wherein the switching occurs during a blanking interval for the first GPU that overlaps with a blanking interval for the second GPU.
US08687006B2
A display device includes a display panel having pixels and divided into first and second display regions; first and second image interpolation chips which receive an original image signal and output interpolated ¼, ½, and/or ¾ frames inserted between a previous (n−1)-th frame and a current n-th frame of the original image signal; a first timing unit which receives the interpolated ¼, ½, and/or ¾ frames from the first image interpolation chip and outputs a first quadruple-speed image signal to pixels in the first display region; and a second timing unit which receives the interpolated ¼, ½, and/or ¾ frames from the second image interpolation chip and outputs a second quadruple-speed image signal to pixels in the second display region. The first timing unit transmits data to the second timing unit, and the second timing unit transmits data to the first timing unit.
US08687005B2
An apparatus and method for synchronizing and sharing a virtual character are provided. The method includes generating a virtual character, synchronizing content in a predetermined form with the generated virtual character; converting the virtual character into an extensible markup language (XML)-based file and storing the XML-based file.
US08687003B2
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for displaying flow rate graphs and alarms on a dialysis system. The disclosed methods and apparatus allow a user to simultaneously view a normal flow rate graph, one or more abnormal flow rate graphs, an actual flow rate graph, and an alarm type. Preferably, the three graphs are at the same scale and time-aligned so the user can quickly diagnose issues associated with drain and catheter problems.
US08687000B2
The present invention relates to an image generating apparatus for generating an image from a viewpoint specified by a user. According to the invention, the apparatus has a storage unit that stores a plurality of pre-images from viewpoints on predetermined lines and depth maps indicating a depth value of each pixel of a corresponding pre-image, and an image generating unit that generates a first image from a first viewpoint based on the pre-images and depth maps.
US08686996B2
System and method for analyzing and imaging three-dimensional volume data sets using a three-dimensional sampling probe. A number of sampling probes can be created, shaped, and moved interactively by the user within the whole three-dimensional volume data set. As the sampling probe changes shape, size, or location in response to user input, the image is re-drawn at a rate sufficiently fast to be perceived as real-time by the user. In this manner, the user can more easily and effectively visualize and interpret the features and physical parameters that are inherent in the three-dimensional volume data set.
US08686990B2
Provided is a monolithic gate driver capable of performing block-reversal driving without causing deterioration of display quality or an increase in power consumption. Gate bus lines are divided into z blocks. Agate driver (400) is provided with a block scanning circuit (40), as well as odd-numbered line scanning circuits (42) each provided for each block and even-numbered line scanning circuits (44) each provided for each block. The block scanning circuit (40) sequentially selects the first to z-th blocks one by one, and alternately selects the odd-numbered line scanning circuits (42) and the even-numbered line scanning circuits (44). Each of the odd-numbered line scanning circuits (42) sequentially and selectively drives the odd-numbered gate bus lines included in the corresponding block. Each of the even-numbered line scanning circuits (44) sequentially and selectively drives the even-numbered gate bus lines included in the corresponding block.
US08686984B2
A system related to the improvement of the design of display device screens during the off or stand-by state is provided. The system comprises a display device and a device connected to the display device, wherein the device comprises a material having a switchable optical configuration. The display device may e.g. by a TV screen, or any other display such as computer monitors.
US08686974B2
A touch-sensitive system comprises a light transmissive panel defining a touch surface and an opposite surface; an illumination arrangement comprising emitters configured to introduce light into the panel for propagation in the panel in an emission pattern; a light detection arrangement comprising detectors configured to receive the light propagating in the panel. A control unit is arranged to control the operation of the touch-sensitive system. The control unit executes a control method to monitor the light received in the light detecting arrangement for detection of touches on the touch surface, the touches attenuating the light propagating in the panel. The control method also selects a mode for the emission pattern in dependence of the occurrence of touches on the touch surface and controls the emission pattern in accordance with the selected mode.
US08686963B2
A digital book includes a casing adapted to fold open and shut like a book and having a folding axis, a main part, and a secondary part, together forming a book back part. A display unit consists of at least two parts arranged such that when the casing is folded out, the main part and the secondary part are each presented with at least one screen each, like pages of a book. A control unit has means for receiving, storing, processing, and reproducing information, and an operating unit has operating elements for using the digital book as a device for receiving/processing/reproducing information. A supply unit has a receiving opening and a guide and supply pin, by means of which the digital book can be plugged in when the casing is folded shut, for inputting and outputting information, for supplying energy, and for storing the digital book.
US08686943B1
User interaction with a display is detected substantially simultaneously using at least two cameras whose intersecting FOVs define a three-dimensional hover zone within which user interactions can be imaged. Separately and collectively image data is analyzed to identify a relatively few user landmarks. A substantially unambiguous correspondence is established between the same landmark on each acquired image, and a three-dimensional reconstruction is made in a common coordinate system. Preferably cameras are modeled to have characteristics of pinhole cameras, enabling rectified epipolar geometric analysis to facilitate more rapid disambiguation among potential landmark points. Consequently processing overhead is substantially reduced, as are latency times. Landmark identification and position information is convertible into a command causing the display to respond appropriately to a user gesture. Advantageously size of the hover zone can far exceed size of the display, making the invention usable with smart phones as well as large size entertainment TVs.
US08686942B2
An operation input system includes a casing and a motion sensor for detecting a movement of the casing inside the casing and calculates a position of the casing in a predetermined space based on an output of the motion sensor. The operation input system includes a position sensor and a correction section. The position sensor directly detects the position of the casing in the predetermined space. The correction section corrects the output of the motion sensor using an output of the position sensor.
US08686936B2
A liquid crystal display apparatus and a method of driving the liquid crystal display apparatus, which commonly boosts pixels of a first group and commonly boosts pixels of a second group. The liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first group of pixels for displaying an image and a second group of pixels for displaying an image. Each pixel of the first and second groups includes a storage capacitor for storing a data voltage. The liquid crystal display apparatus further includes a first storage common voltage line connected to storage capacitors of the pixels of the first group of pixels, a second storage common voltage line connected to storage capacitors of the pixels of the second group of pixels. A first storage common voltage is supplied to the pixels of the first group through the first storage common voltage line, and a second storage common voltage is supplied to the pixels of the second group through the second storage common voltage line.
US08686930B2
An electro-optical device includes: a plurality of unit circuits arranged corresponding to crossings between a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines; a plurality of wirings that constitutes each of the plurality of scanning lines; a scanning line drive circuit that sequentially selects one of the scanning lines while sequentially selecting one of the wirings included in the scanning line, at every driving period within each unit circuit; and a data line drive circuit that, at every period within the each unit period which is a writing period before the drive period is started, outputs a data potential in response to the gradation data of the unit circuit, which corresponds to the wiring selected in the driving period within the unit period, to a data line corresponding to the unit circuit out of the each data line. Each of the plurality of unit circuits includes: an electric optical element that displays gradation in response to the data potential; a capacitative element having a first electrode connected to a capacitance line and a second electrode connected to the data line; and a switching element that is disposed between the second electrode and the electric optical element and, by being electrically conducted in selecting one of the wirings by the scanning line drive circuit, allows the second electrode and the electric optical element to be electrically conducted.
US08686925B2
An organic light emitting diode display device and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display device according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a display panel including a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate line pairs crossing the data lines, and a plurality of light emitting cells which include an organic light emitting diode device, first and second cell driving circuits for alternately driving the organic light emitting diode device; a data voltage generator supplying a data voltage of a first polarity to the data lines; a compensation voltage generator supplying a compensation voltage of a second polarity to the data lines; and a scan driver for sequentially supplying scan pulses to the gate line pairs, wherein the first and second cell driving circuits are alternately supplied with the data voltage and the compensation voltage in response to the scan pulses to alternately driven the organic light.
US08686923B2
A method and information system for capturing signals, for processing signals, and for providing signals at least partially based on, or bearing correlation to, the captured signals is disclosed. The information system includes a signal input unit, a wireless communication unit, and an output unit. The signal input unit (preferably an optical signal unit) is constructed and is positionable to capture signals associated with an eye. The output unit is constructed to provide information based on the captured signals or to provide information as a function of the captured signals or in correlation with the captured signals.
US08686916B2
A loop antenna includes a parasitic element arranged at a position almost concentric to a loop element and having an opening portion smaller than the half perimeter of the loop element at a position opposite to the feeding point of the loop element.
US08686910B1
A load for traveling microwave energy has an absorptive volume defined by cylindrical body enclosed by a first end cap and a second end cap. The first end cap has an aperture for the passage of an input waveguide with a rotating part that is coupled to a reflective mirror. The inner surfaces of the absorptive volume consist of a resistive material or are coated with a coating which absorbs a fraction of incident RF energy, and the remainder of the RF energy reflects. The angle of the reflector and end caps is selected such that reflected RF energy dissipates an increasing percentage of the remaining RF energy at each reflection, and the reflected RF energy which returns to the rotating mirror is directed to the back surface of the rotating reflector, and is not coupled to the input waveguide. Additionally, the reflector may have a surface which generates a more uniform power distribution function axially and laterally, to increase the power handling capability of the RF load. The input waveguide may be corrugated for HE11 mode input energy.
US08686908B2
A wireless function watch includes an antenna for receiving a radio wave from outside; a housing for accommodating the antenna; a conductive projecting portion projecting in a planar direction from an inner wall of the housing toward the inside of a watch case; and an opening penetrating the conductive projecting portion vertically so as to improve receiving characteristics of the antenna.
US08686906B2
A microwave antenna assembly includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, a conductive layer, a first conductive patch, and a second conductive patch. The conductive layer is disposed in an inner region between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. The conductive layer includes a slot. A first conductive patch is surrounded by the slot. The second conductive patch is disposed against the second dielectric layer outside the inner region, and is electromagnetically coupled to the first conductive patch.
US08686901B2
For supporting a change of a reference station, first data that is valid for a first reference station is provided for transmission to a device, then data that is valid for the first reference station and data that is valid for a second reference station is provided for transmission to the device in parallel for a limited time, and finally data that is valid for the second reference station is provided for transmission to the device. The data for the first reference station and the data for the second reference station include measurements on satellite signals. At a receiving end, the respectively received data can be provided for a positioning of a device comprising a satellite signal receiver.
US08686899B2
A GNSS smart antenna system includes an antenna, a processor and a receiver combination unit adapted for economical construction and enhanced performance when performing differential guidance operations. The antenna unit includes a dual frequency antenna, a dual frequency receiver unit, dual processors, and a radio bay for receiving a radio device. Rover and base smart antenna units are interchangeable in the system.
US08686894B2
A radar imaging apparatus includes: (i) a delay code generation unit which repeats, for M scan periods, scan processing of generating, using a transmission code, N delay codes in a scan period for scanning N range gates having mutually different distances from the radar imaging apparatus; (ii) a signal storage unit which stores, in association with a range gate and a scan period, a baseband signal; (iii) a memory control unit which repeatedly writes, in the signal storage unit, for the M scan periods, N demodulated signals corresponding to a single scan period, and reads out a group of M demodulated signals corresponding to mutually different scan periods; (iv) a Doppler frequency discrimination unit which performs frequency analysis on demodulated signals having the same range gate; and (v) a direction of arrival calculation unit which estimates a direction of a target.
US08686885B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device having A/D converters for converting, by means of digital correction processing, analog input signals into digital signals is reduced in area. The semiconductor integrated circuit device has a first A/D converter and a second A/D converter. In a first mode, a first test signal is inputted to both the first and second A/D converters, and a first correction coefficient for the first A/D converter and a second correction coefficient for the second A/D converter are calculated. In a second mode, the first A/D converter converts a first analog signal into a first digital signal by subjecting the first analog signal to a first digital correction processing and the second A/D converter converts a second analog signal into a second digital signal by subjecting the second analog signal to a second digital correction processing.
US08686879B2
A method and module for displaying a munition release envelope.
US08686875B2
A parking support device is provided for extracting detection point data corresponding to a corner portion of a parked vehicle 2 from detection point data showing a series of detection points at each of which the distance to the parked vehicle 2 is detected, performing a noise component removing process and a data complementing process using a curve approximation of the series of detection points on the extracted detection point data, estimating reflection points of a detection wave in the corner portion from the detection point data and sensor position data showing a moving path of a distance sensor 3, and measuring the length of a parking space adjacent to the parked vehicle 2 according to a corner position which is determined from the positions of the estimated reflection points to determine if a vehicle 1 can be parked in the parking space.
US08686872B2
A substantially transparent windscreen head-up display includes one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision therethrough. A method to dynamically register a graphic onto a driving scene of a vehicle utilizing a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display includes monitoring roadway conditions, identifying a potential roadway hazard based on the roadway conditions, determining the graphic identifying the potential roadway hazard, dynamically registering a location of the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display corresponding to the driving scene of the vehicle, and displaying the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display.
US08686864B2
An apparatus, system, and method for detecting an intoxicated driver of a vehicle and preventing operation of the vehicle are presented. In one embodiment, a detector module comprises a sensor that produces an electrical signal corresponding to a predetermined blood alcohol content of the driver. The blood alcohol content of the driver is determined by sampling the alcohol content of the air within a predetermined vehicle zone. A control module is coupled to the detector module to control at least one vehicle operations in response to the electrical signal from the detector module. In another embodiment, a cell phone contains the detector module and is wirelessly coupled to the control module. A vehicle status module is included in some embodiments.
US08686859B2
A method of identifying articles, each of which has a data carrier that includes identifying data of the article, the data carriers having an operation frequency, provides a robust electromagnetic (EM) field within an enclosure in which the articles are stored, even when the natural resonance frequency of the enclosure differs from the operation frequency of the data carriers. In one case data carriers comprise, RFID tags. The EM energy at the operation frequency that is injected into the enclosure to form the robust EM field is injected at a selected location in the enclosure so that the reflected phase of the EM energy from enclosure walls equals the location of injection thereby producing a robust EM field to activate and/or detect data carriers. Active impedance matching is also provided.
US08686853B2
A system and a method are disclosed for group search-based lost bag search and recovery. In one embodiment of the invention, the system for group search-based lost bag search and recovery includes a bag/luggage information database and a lost bag group search organizer system, which can identify and organize search groups for lost bag search and recovery based on geographic proximity of search agent devices or a common theme. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, this system is operatively connected to a plurality of devices, such as a consumer's device, a ticket agent's device, a regulatory information database, and one or more search agent devices categorized by search groups. In one example, the one or more search agent devices integrate mobile applications, which detect an electrically-identifiable bag wirelessly within a defined perimeter and report back to the lost bag group search organizer system.
US08686851B2
A method of notifying a clinician of an alarm condition for a patient including the steps of receiving notice of the alarm condition, identifying a location of the patient, identifying a location of the clinician, calculating guidance information based on the location of the clinician and the location of the patient, and providing the guidance information to a clinician using a portable notification device. The method may further include the steps of identifying a direction and/or an orientation of the clinician, and calculating and displaying the guidance information based on the direction and/or orientation of the clinician.
US08686846B2
The tire condition of each tire of a vehicle is detected, which information is transmitted by means of electromagnetic waves from the tire condition acquisition devices to a monitoring device that receives the electromagnetic waves transmitted from tire condition acquisition devices via a receiving antenna, which monitoring device contains means for displaying the electric field intensity of the electromagnetic waves transmitted from the tire condition acquisition devices. Thus, the electric field intensity at a mounting position can easily be determined when mounting the receiving antenna, enabling easy discovery of the optimal location for mounting the receiving antenna.
US08686845B2
An automotive vehicle may include a navigation system, a speed sensor, an audio, visual or haptic output system, and at least one controller. The controller may be configured to determine if a current speed of the vehicle exceeds a target speed of an upcoming road curvature based on information from the speed sensor and navigation system, to generate a first alert based on a selected driver type via the output system to prompt the driver to disengage the vehicle's accelerator pedal if the current speed of the vehicle exceeds the target speed of the upcoming road curvature, and to generate a second alert after the first alert based on the selected driver type via the output system to prompt the driver to engage the vehicle's brake pedal.
US08686843B2
A motor vehicle includes, but is not limited to an environment sensor for identifying a source of danger external to the vehicle and detecting at least one first direction in which the source of danger lies when viewed from the vehicle, and a loudspeaker arrangement which can be triggered, when a source of danger has been identified, to generate a warning signal which for a listener in a passenger cell of the vehicle appears to come from the first direction. The environment sensor is furthermore equipped to trigger the loudspeaker arrangement to produce a second signal following the warning signal, which for the listener appears to come from a second direction different from the first direction.
US08686841B2
Activating geo-fence boundaries and collecting location data. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: activating a geo-fence for a pre-determined area responsive to an event related to a vehicle; receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) signals indicative of a location of the vehicle, the receiving by an onboard device coupled to the vehicle; detecting that the vehicle has crossed the geo-fence; creating a data set comprising data regarding locations of the vehicle with respect to the geo-fence; determining a parameter associated with an existing insurance policy based on the data set.
US08686816B2
A MEMS element of an aspect of the present invention including a first electrode provided on a substrate, a second electrode which is provided above the first electrode and which is driven toward the first electrode, an anchor provided on the substrate, a beam which supports the second electrode in midair, one end of the beam being connected to the anchor and the beam including a sidewall part provided at its end in the width direction, the sidewall part having a downward-facing protrusion.
US08686812B2
A waveguide for transmission of data signals therealong. Data signals are typically received from and/or transmitted to a remote location and subsequently passed to or emitted from the apparatus which allows the data to be processed. The waveguide includes a channel which has a cross-sectional shape, the angular orientation of which is changed at least one point along the length of the same so as to provide a waveguide which is less sensitive to interferences. The waveguide, in one embodiment, can also include recessed portions and/or ridges along the length of the channel which ensures that the waveguide can be formed in a more reliable and controlled manner.
US08686797B2
There is provided a phase locked loop circuit which includes a frequency divider, a phase comparator, a filter, and an output signal oscillator. The frequency divides a feedback signal by a specific ratio and the feedback signal is used for synchronizing a phase of a reference signal and a phase of an output signal. The phase comparator compares the phases of the reference signal, the output signal, and the feedback signal and adjusts a gain of an analog signal used for generating the output signal in accordance with increase or decrease of the ratio. The filter filters the analog signal to pass signals in a specific frequency band, the gain of the analog signal having been adjusted by the phase comparator and the output signal oscillator outputs the output signal on the basis of the analog signal.
US08686794B2
An amplifying apparatus includes a first amplifier that amplifies a first signal of a constant amplitude; a second amplifier that amplifies a second signal identical in amplitude and differing in phase with respect to the first signal; a first transmission line of which, a first end is connected to an output terminal of the first amplifier; a second transmission line differing in length with respect to the first transmission line and of which, a first end is connected to an output terminal of the second amplifier and a second end is connected to a second end of the first transmission line; and an amplitude balance adjusting element connected to the first or the second transmission line. The amplifying apparatus outputs from a connection node of the first and the second transmission lines, a signal that is a combination of output signals of the first amplifier and of the second amplifier.
US08686789B2
A Class-D amplifier arrangement is disclosed that implements an auxiliary feedback loop and a primary feedback loop. The auxiliary feedback loop operates upon an input signal when the Class-D amplifier arrangement is operating under a power-up condition and a power-down condition so that a modulated signal is confined within the auxiliary feedback loop during the power-up condition and the power-down condition. The confinement of the modulated signal within the auxiliary feedback loop during the power-up condition and the power-down condition diverts transient signals coupled onto the modulated signal from an output device. The primary feedback loop operates upon the input signal when the Class-D amplifier arrangement is operating under a normal condition so that the modulated signal is introduced to the output device during the normal condition.
US08686785B2
A level shifter includes a resistor R1 connected to a power source, a MOSFET MN3 having a drain connected to the resistor R1 and a grounded source, a resistor R2 having the same resistance of the resistor R1 and connected to the power source, a MOSFET MN4 having a drain to the resistor R2 and a grounded source, a pulse generator 10 controlling ON/OFF of the MOSFETs MN3 and MN4 according to an input signal, a control part generating a set signal when the MOSFET MN3 is ON and a reset signal when the MOSFET MN4 is ON, a flip-flop that providing, according to the set and reset signals, an output signal level-shifted of the input signal to operate a switching element Q1, and a switching operation control part detecting when reference potential decreases to negative and stopping the switching element Q1.
US08686764B2
Circuits and methods are provided for generating clock signals and correcting duty cycle distortion in clock signals. A circuit for generating a clock signal includes a multiplexer circuit and an edge-triggered flip-flop circuit. The multiplexer circuit selectively outputs one of a plurality of input clock signals. The edge-triggered flip-flop detects a transitioning edge of the input clock signal that is selectively output from the multiplexer circuit, and in response to the detection, samples a logic level of a received data signal, and generates a transition of an output clock signal at an output port of the edge-triggered flip-flop. The multiplexer circuit selectively outputs one of the plurality of input clock signals to a clock signal port of the edge-triggered flip-flop, based on a logic level of the output clock signal at the output port of the edge-triggered flip-flop, which is input to a select control port of the multiplexer circuit.
US08686758B1
I/O circuits and a method for transmitting different types of I/O signals are disclosed. An embodiment of the I/O circuit comprises multiple transistors with multiple switches coupled to the transistors. The switches may be used to selectively couple the transistors to a power source or to another transistor to form different transistor configurations. The transistors may be configured to form a parallel configuration or a stacked configuration. Stacking up transistors may reduce voltage swings in the transistors and subsequently reduce degradation in the transistors.
US08686756B2
An all-digital clock generator includes a digitally-controlled clock generator and a processing unit. The digitally-controlled clock generator generates a clock signal in response to an enable signal and a digital signal. The processing unit has a frequency multiplier and a reference signal having a period, digitizes the period to generate a quantized signal, generates the digital signal according to the quantized signal and the frequency multiplier, and generates the enable signal according to the reference signal, the clock signal and the frequency multiplier.
US08686753B1
Embedded logic is implemented in a partially reconfigurable programmable logic device (PLD), thus allowing debugging of implemented instantiations of logic after partial reconfiguration. Several instantiations of logic are received at the PLD. One instantiation of logic is implemented in a reconfigurable region of logic within the PLD. The instantiation of logic includes a port that provides a constant interface between the reconfigurable region of logic and a fixed region of logic within the PLD. The port may receive signals from probe points implemented within the reconfigurable region of logic. The port may provide the signals to a signal interface implemented within a fixed region of logic. Furthermore, an embedded logic analyzer may be implemented in either the reconfigurable region of logic or the fixed region of logic. The embedded logic analyzer receives signals from the probe points and provides signal visibility to an external computing system.
US08686751B2
Analog processors for solving various computational problems are provided. Such analog processors comprise a plurality of quantum devices, arranged in a lattice, together with a plurality of coupling devices. The analog processors further comprise bias control systems each configured to apply a local effective bias on a corresponding quantum device. A set of coupling devices in the plurality of coupling devices is configured to couple nearest-neighbor quantum devices in the lattice. Another set of coupling devices is configured to couple next-nearest neighbor quantum devices. The analog processors further comprise a plurality of coupling control systems each configured to tune the coupling value of a corresponding coupling device in the plurality of coupling devices to a coupling. Such quantum processors further comprise a set of readout devices each configured to measure the information from a corresponding quantum device in the plurality of quantum devices.
US08686750B2
To provide a simple method for evaluating reliability of a transistor, a simple test which correlates with a bias-temperature stress test (BT test) is performed instead of the BT test. Specifically, a gate current value is measured in the state where a voltage lower than the threshold voltage of an n-channel transistor whose channel region includes an oxide semiconductor is applied between a gate and a source of the transistor and a potential applied to a drain is higher than a potential applied to the gate. The evaluation of the gate current value can be simply performed compared to the case where the BT test is performed; for example, it takes short time to measure the gate current value. That is, reliability of a semiconductor device including the transistor can be easily evaluated.
US08686749B2
Non-corrosive thermal interface materials for use in a test structure and method of use. The test structure includes a heat sink for dissipating heat away from a device under test. The test structure further includes a non-corrosive thermal interface material disposed between the heat sink and the device under test. The non-corrosive thermal interface material is capable of withstanding test conditions for at least 60 minutes for at least 115° C. without staining or leaving residue on the device under test after baking.
US08686741B2
A noise figure deriving device is provided to precisely obtain the noise figure (NF) of a receiver. The noise figure deriving device includes a first NF deriving unit that derives a first noise figure, which is a noise figure when a predetermined receiver-side pin pin1R is connected to a receiver, based on a ratio Y of one power to the other power of two types of reference noise. The noise figure deriving device also includes a second NF deriving unit that derives a second noise figure, which is a noise figure when receiver-side pins pin2R, pin3R, and pin4R are connected to the receiver, based on an inter-measurement-device-side-terminal difference and the first noise figure. The inter-measurement-device-side-terminal difference is a difference between the first noise figure and the second noise figure.
US08686736B2
In an embodiment, a method of testing a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) includes generating high frequency test signals using the on-chip test circuit, measuring signal levels using on-chip power detectors, and controlling and monitoring the on-chip test circuit using low frequency signals. The RFIC circuit is configured to operate at high frequencies, and an on-chip test circuit that includes frequency generation circuitry configured to operate during test modes.
US08686730B2
A system for measuring electrical resistivity survey checks a border of bedrock or a thickness of a sedimentary layer in a riverbed of a river or lake within a short time. A method for analysis of an underground structure of a riverbed using the same is also provided. The system for streamer electric resistivity survey using a survey boat includes a streamer cable connected to the survey boat and having a plurality of electrodes attached thereto, a multi-channel resistivity meter loaded on the survey boat to measure electric resistivity from the plurality of electrodes, a first RTK GPS (Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System) loaded on the survey boat to measure a position of the survey boat in real time, and a second RTK GPS installed to a tail of the streamer cable to measure a position of the tail in real time.
US08686728B2
A system generates a Radio Frequency (RF) magnetic field in an MR imaging unit using an RF transmitting coil for generating a Radio Frequency (RF) magnetic field and multiple RF receiver coils for receiving RF signals for Magnetic Resonance (MR) image data acquisition. An RF transmission coil generates an RF magnetic field. An RF receiver coil receives an RF signal for MR image data acquisition and couples a magnetic field from the RF receiver coil to the RF transmission coil for adaptively altering the RF magnetic field generated by the RF transmission coil to reduce inhomogeneity in the RF magnetic field generated by the RF transmission coil in response to applying an RF pulse to the RF transmission coil. An adjustment processor adjusts characteristics of the RF receiver coil to alter the RF magnetic field generated by the RF transmission coil.
US08686717B2
A position sensor arrangement that can determine the two-dimensional position of a variety of different movable devices, such as an electronic joystick. According to one embodiment, the position sensor arrangement includes two pair of magnetic sensing elements that are angularly offset or skewed with respect to one another in order to provide redundancy and accuracy with a minimum number of sensing elements.
US08686704B2
A current sense circuit for use with a switching regulator including a first transistor, connected to an inductor, configured to switch a current flowing through the inductor from a power supply; and a second transistor, connected to a node to which the inductor and the first transistor are connected, configured to be turned on during a part of an OFF period of the first transistor. The current sense circuit includes a current generator configured to generate a sense current corresponding to a current flowing through the first transistor; a hold circuit configured to output a voltage corresponding to the sense current during an ON period of the first transistor, and to hold and output the voltage corresponding to the sense current during the OFF period of the first transistor; and an output transistor configured to generate a current corresponding to the voltage output by the hold circuit.
US08686703B2
The present invention provides a controller used in a switching power supply. The controller comprises an oscillator, a first comparison circuit and a logic circuit. The oscillator generates a slope compensation signal and a clock signal. The first comparison circuit generates a first comparison signal in accordance with a current sensing signal, a feedback signal and the slope compensation signal. The logic circuit generates a control signal to control the main switch based on the clock signal and the first compensation signal. If the on time of the main switch is longer than the predetermined time period, the slope compensation signal will have a first slew rate during the predetermined time period and a second slew rate out of the predetermined time period, wherein the second slew rate is smaller than the first slew rate.
US08686702B2
Generated are an error signal representative of a difference between a signal representative of the output voltage of a current mode switching power supply and a reference voltage, and a peak current threshold signal that is indicative of a peak current that should be reached in an inductor within the power supply during each cycle of a periodic clock signal and that has a level that is based on the error signal. A switch control signal regulates the voltage output of the power supply by closing and then opening a power switch during each cycle of the periodic clock signal. Timing of opening is based on the peak current threshold signal. Negative slope compensation causes the switch control circuit to delay opening the power switch during each cycle of the periodic clock signal in an amount that decreases with increasing duty cycles of the switch control signal.
US08686696B2
A DC-DC converter includes a power conversion portion including a switching element; a first resistor having one terminal electrically connected to the power conversion portion; a second resistor having one terminal electrically connected to the other terminal of the first resistor; a third resistor having one terminal electrically connected to the other terminal of the first resistor; a constant current supply electrically connected to the other terminal of the third resistor; and a control circuit electrically connected to the other terminal of the third resistor and configured to control the switching element. Resistance R1 of the first resistor, resistance R2 of the second resistor, resistance R3 of the third resistor, a reference current Iref output from the constant current supply, and an output voltage Vout output from the power conversion portion satisfy a following formula: { ( 1 + R 3 R 2 ) · R 1 + R 3 } · I ref > - V out .
US08686689B2
A battery assembly includes a bare cell; a protection circuit module electrically connected to the bare cell and having a first terminal portion; a holder case between the bare cell and the protection circuit module, the holder case having a second terminal portion, a terminal connection portion connected to the second terminal portion and an insulating support, wherein the protection circuit module is coupled to the holder case such that the first terminal portion is electrically coupled to the terminal connection portion.
US08686685B2
Some embodiments provide a system for charging devices. The system includes a master device and a slave device. Some embodiments provide a method for charging devices in a system that includes a slave device and a master device. The slave device includes (1) an antenna to receive a radio frequency (RF) beam and (2) a power generation module connected to the antenna that converts RF energy received by the slave antenna to power. The master device includes (1) a directional antenna to direct RF power to the antenna of the slave device and (2) a module that provides power to the directional antenna of the master device.
US08686673B2
A control device controls a power conversion circuit so as to adjust control values of a motor generator to optimum values. The power conversion circuit has switching elements for selectively connecting and disconnecting a battery and terminals of the motor generator. The control device sets a simulated voltage vector V(n+1) in one control-period forward to perform a prediction model control. On predicting a current, the control device uses a model in a rotary coordinate system, and sets the median value of the voltage vector V(n+1) in one control-period Tc to a value of the voltage vector V(n+1) in the rotary coordinate system. The control device sets, as the value of the voltage vector V(n+1) in the rotary coordinate system, the voltage vector V(n+1) when the half-time of the control-period Tc is elapsed from the time at the electric angle θ(n+1).
US08686671B2
The present invention provides a method for compensating nonlinearity of a resolver to control a motor in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, thereby stably controlling the motor current during high-torque and high-speed operation. In preferred aspects, the present invention provides a method for compensating nonlinearity of a resolver to control a motor in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, the method including collecting resolver position data; determining whether to perform resolver position correction in the corresponding vehicle; and compensating nonlinearity of the resolver based on the collected resolver position data, if it is determined that the resolver position correction is not performed.
US08686668B2
Apparatus for maintaining at least a holding current in a leading-edge phase-cut dimmer during a period of transient voltage variations, the apparatus connectable to the dimmer and connectable to a load connected to draw current from the dimmer. The apparatus may comprise an edge detector connected to receive a voltage from the dimmer and generate a leading-edge signal in response to a leading-edge of a phase-cut waveform, and a current offset circuit connected to receive the leading-edge signal and draw a supplementary offset current in response to the leading-edge signal, wherein the supplementary offset current is sufficient to maintain at least a holding current in the dimmer during the period of transient voltage variations. The current offset circuit may comprise a holding current circuit which also draws supplementary current in response to an instantaneous value of load current.
US08686655B2
A lighting circuit that is for a lamp including an LED as a light source and that includes a resonant circuit that can be designed with ease. A lighting circuit 11 is for a lamp including a light-emitter 39 composed of an LED as a light source. The lighting circuit comprises: a rectifier circuit 31 that rectifies power supplied from an alternating current power supply via a base 28; an inverter circuit 33 connected to an output side of the rectifier circuit 31 and outputting alternating power to the LED; and a resonant circuit 35 connected to an output side of the inverter circuit 33, wherein the resonant circuit 35 includes an inductor L and a capacitor C1 and is connected in series with the light-emitter 39, the inductor L and the capacitor C1 being connected in series.
US08686651B2
An LED driver circuit is disclosed. The top of a string of series connected LED segments is connected to the output of a rectifier, which in turn is connected to an AC source. The string is tapped at various locations, including the bottom of the string. Each segment can consists of any number of serial or parallel connected LEDs. Current control elements or regulators sink current at each tap and are sequentially turned on and off one at a time, tracking the rectified sine wave voltage. Voltage across each regulator and current when conducting is individually controllable. The regulators may control current in a multitude of ways, including a constant current, or a current dependent on voltage across the regulators including a resistor, or a combination. The driver is self-commutating, with the sequencing of the current control elements an inherent feature closely integrated with the current control elements and providing optimal performance over variable operating conditions.
US08686643B2
Systems and methods for reducing lamp restrike time are provided. In a lighting apparatus having a housing, a reflector, and a lamp positioned so that at least a portion of the outer jacket of the lamp is within the reflector, a circulating device is operated when the lamp is off and a temperature inside the housing is above a predefined temperature. The circulating device circulates air around the outer jacket of the lamp to cool the lamp so the restrike time is reduced without the need for a starting device with a starting voltage high enough to restart the lamp when the lamp is hot.
US08686637B2
An organic EL device includes a first substrate having electrical conductivity, an organic layer formed on the first substrate, an electrode layer formed on the organic layer, and a second substrate joined to the electrode layer by an adhesive layer. In a region of a peripheral portion of the first substrate, the organic layer is not formed, and a portion of the electrode layer is provided on the first substrate through an insulating layer so as to extend to an outer peripheral side of a region where the organic layer is present. The extended electrode layer is folded back together with the insulating layer to a side opposite to the second substrate, to constitute an electrode taking-out portion.
US08686629B2
Organic light emitting display device with partition wall having first and second tapered structures
An organic light emitting display device (OLED) includes a transparent substrate a first electrode formed on the transparent substrate a partition wall including first and second tapered structures having different tapers and formed on the first electrode, and an organic light emitting layer stacked on both sides of the first electrode below a level of the partition wall and a second electrode. The OLED device is manufactured by, for example, forming a first electrode on a transparent substrate, forming a partition wall having first and second tapered structures on the first electrode, and forming an organic light emitting layer and a second electrode, sequentially, on both sides of the first electrode below a level of the partition wall.
US08686627B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) uses a π-conjugated polymer emissive layer (MEH-PPV) sandwiched between two semitransparent electrodes. The preferred embodiment utilizes an optically thin gold film anode, whereas the cathode was in the form of an optically thick aluminum (Al) film with patterned periodic subwavelength 2D hole array that showed anomalous transmission in the spectral range of the polymer photoluminescence band. At similar current densities we obtained a seven-fold electroluminescence efficiency enhancement with the patterned Al device compared with a control device based on unperforated Al electrode.
US08686626B2
There are provided an oxynitride-based phosphor and a light emitting device including the same. The oxynitride-based phosphor has a rare-earth element dissolved in a host material represented by a general formula: Ca15Si20O10N30. The rare-earth element is at least one selected from a group consisting of manganese (Mn), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), terbium (Tb), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm) and ytterbium (Yb). The host material has a crystal lattice according to a peak of an X-ray powder diffraction pattern, and the crystal lattice has a cubic crystal structure.
US08686619B2
A piezoelectric actuator is provided, including a piezoelectric layer which is joined to a joining member and which has a coefficient of linear expansion smaller than a coefficient of linear expansion of the joining member; a first electrode which is arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric layer; a second electrode which is arranged on a portion of the one surface of the piezoelectric layer different from the first electrode and which is in conduction with the first electrode; and a low dielectric layer which is formed between the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode and which has a dielectric constant lower than a dielectric constant of the piezoelectric layer.
US08686612B2
An electrical machine, in particular an electric motor, has a first number (k) of commutator laminates (10, 12, 14) and brushes (16, 18), wherein the commutator laminates (10, 12, 14) are arranged distributed uniformly in the circumferential direction of a circumference of a laminate support (24). The brushes (16, 18) are arranged such that commutation times are distributed as uniformly as possible in order to reduce current ripple when using a wave winding and a number of brushes (16, 18) which is less than a number of poles (2p) in the electrical machine.
US08686611B2
A motor may include a motor main body and an urging member. The urging member is provided with an end plate part having a plate spring part for urging the rotor and an engaging plate part which is extended along an outer peripheral face of a tube-like body part structuring an outer peripheral face of the motor main body. The engaging plate part is provided with a side plate part extended from the end plate part along the outer peripheral face of tube-like body part, a hook part which is bent from a tip end part of the side plate part to an inner side and is engaged with an opening part which is formed in the tube-like body part, and a pawl part which is bent from a tip end part of the hook part and is engaged with an inner peripheral face of the tube-like body part.
US08686610B2
The present invention provides an automotive dynamoelectric stator that enables vibration resistance of a lead portion to be ensured and reductions in area of the lead portion and a coil end group that is exposed to a cooling airflow to be suppressed without increasing work or cost. In a dynamoelectric machine according to the present invention, first lead portions that connect a plurality of windings to configure phase windings are each led axially outward from a rear-end coil end group, and then disposed so as to extend parallel to an axially outer peripheral surface of the rear-end coil end group so as to cross at least one other first lead portion, and so as to be separated from the axially outer peripheral surface of the rear-end coil end group.
US08686606B2
A cooling device includes an inner sleeve with an outer surface, an outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve, and two end portions extending between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve at the ends. The inner sleeve, the outer sleeve and the end portions define a peripheral space. A flow guiding structure defines N channels in the peripheral space for coolant to flow, where N is an integer equal to or greater than 1. Each channel has at least two branches, and N pairs of inlet and outlet corresponding to the N channels. The branches of each channel are in fluid communication with a respective pair of inlet and outlet. Each branch extends over a half circumferential part of the outer surface of the inner sleeve. An electric motor incorporating the cooling device is also provided.
US08686605B2
In a rotary electric machine, a stator coil includes in-slot portions each contained in a corresponding one of slots of a stator core. The stator coil includes turn portions each connecting one end of a corresponding one of the in-slot portions projecting from one axial end of the stator core with one end of a corresponding alternative one of the in-slot portions projecting the one axial end of the stator core. The turn portions provide an end portion of the stator coil. A coolant guide is placed to cover a circumferential outer part of the end portion of the stator coil from radially outside thereof and provided with holes therethrough. The coolant guide guides a coolant therealong in a circumferential direction of the end portion of the stator coil while guiding, through the holes, a part of the coolant to the end portion of the stator coil.
US08686595B2
Disclosed herein is a TPMS transmission module having a power saving function, the TPMS transmission module including: a micom outputting a switch turn-off control signal when a vehicle having the TPMS transmission module mounted therein is stopped; a switch supplying a power when the switch is turned on and blocking the supply of the power when it is turned off; an energy generator generating and outputting an electric power when a tire rotates; and a switch controller turning on the switch when the electric power of a predetermined voltage or more is generated in the energy generator and turning off the switch when a switch turn off control signal is output from the micom.
US08686594B2
A method of adding a power feed to electrical systems includes coupling a set of input lines to a power source such that the input lines are connected to at least one phase of AC power from the power source, and coupling a set of backfeed lines to an output receptacle in a power distribution unit. The output receptacle may be connected in parallel with at least one other output receptacle that is supplying primary power to systems in the data center. The set of backfeed lines and the set of input lines may be tested to determine a match between a pair of lines in the set of backfeed lines and a pair of lines in the set of input lines. Determining the match may include matching the phase of the pair of backfeed lines with the phase of the pair of input lines.
US08686590B2
An aircraft sensor system including a primary module configured to be attached to an aircraft portion and operative to transmit electrical power wirelessly. A secondary module configured to be attached to an aircraft component, the secondary module operative to receive electrical power wirelessly from the primary module. At least one sensor configured to be operatively attached to a portion of the aircraft component and electrically coupled to the secondary module, wherein the at least one sensor is operative to measure a desired parameter of the aircraft component.
US08686579B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a unique interactive game that includes multiple dynamic layers in which a participant may complete a variety of challenges and/or tasks. For example, the participant may obtain a toy “wand” from a retail phase that is usable in an interactive entertainment phase. The interactive entertainment phase may include multiple interrelated layers such that progress in one or more layers may affect the participant's experience in one or more other layers. The participant may also receive training on how to use the wand and/or complete one or more special effects, adventures and/or quests. During or following the interactive entertainment phase, the participant may use accumulated points and/or powers to redeem prizes and/or compete against other participants, such as in a duel.
US08686576B1
A linear induction generator for use in a weapon system comprising a matrix of coils, a matrix of magnets, a spindle assembly, a matrix of coils, and a dust cover there over. This generator is mounted onto a weapon receiver of the weapon system to generate raw electric current. The raw current is then rectified and delivered to either a battery or directly to the electronic devices.
US08686570B2
A structure comprises a first die, a second die, an interposer, a third die, and a fourth die. The first die and the second die each have a first surface and a second surface. First conductive connectors are coupled to the first surfaces of the first and second dies, and second conductive connectors are coupled to the second surfaces of the first and second dies. The interposer is over the first and second dies. A first surface of the interposer is coupled to the first conductive connectors, and a second surface of the interposer is coupled to third conductive connectors. The third and fourth dies are over the interposer and are coupled to the third conductive connectors. The first die is communicatively coupled to the second die through the interposer, and/or the third die is communicatively coupled to the fourth die through the interposer.
US08686559B2
A stacked semiconductor chip comprising multiple unit chips contains multiple instances of a first chip component that have a low yield and are distributed among the multiple unit chips. An instance of the first chip component within a first unit chip is logically paired with at least another instance of the first chip component within at least another unit chip so that the combination of the multiple instances of the first chip component across the multiple unit chips constitute a functional block providing the functionality of a fully functional instance of the first chip component. The stacked semiconductor chip may include multiple instances of a second chip component having a high yield and distributed across the multiple unit chips. Multiple low yield components constitute a functional block providing an enhanced overall yield, while high yield components are utilized to their full potential functionality.
US08686534B2
A trench isolation structure and a method of forming the same are provided. The trench isolation structure includes: a semiconductor substrate, and trenches formed in the semiconductor substrate and filled with a dielectric layer, where the material of the dielectric layer is a crystalline material. By using the present invention, the size of the divot can be reduced, and device performances can be improved.
US08686527B2
A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes metallization layers supported by a substrate, a diode and a partially doped silicon layer disposed over the metallization layers, a buffer layer disposed over the diode and the partially doped silicon layer; and an anti-reflective coating disposed over the buffer layer, the anti-reflective coating formed from a porous silicon.
US08686523B2
A magnetoresistive device having a magnetic junction including a first fixed magnetic layer structure, a second fixed magnetic layer structure, and a free magnetic layer structure, wherein the first second and free magnetic layer structures are arranged one over the other. The first second and free magnetic layer structures have respective magnetization orientations configured to orient in a direction at least substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by an interface between the free magnetic layer structure and either one of the first fixed magnetic layer structure or the second fixed magnetic layer structure. The respective magnetization orientations of the first and the second fixed magnetic layer structures are oriented anti-parallel to each other, and the first fixed magnetic layer structure is a static fixed magnetic layer structure having a switching field that is larger than a switching field of the free magnetic layer structure.
US08686521B2
A magnetoresistive element includes a stabilization layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a spin-polarization layer provided between the stabilization layer and the nonmagnetic layer, the spin-polarization layer having magnetic anisotropy in a perpendicular direction, and a magnetic layer provided on a side of the nonmagnetic layer opposite to a side on which the spin-polarization layer is provided. The stabilization layer has a lattice constant smaller than that of the spin-polarization layer in an in-plane direction. The spin-polarization layer contains at least one element selected from a group consisting of cobalt (Co) and iron (Fe), has a body-centered tetragonal (BCT) structure, and has a lattice constant ratio c/a of 1.10 (inclusive) to 1.35 (inclusive) when a perpendicular direction is a c-axis and an in-plane direction is an a-axis.
US08686514B2
A field effect transistor device includes a first conductive channel disposed on a substrate, a second conductive channel disposed on the substrate, a first gate stack formed on the first conductive channel, the first gate stack including a metallic layer having a first oxygen content, a second gate stack a formed on the second conductive channel, the second gate stack including a metallic layer having a second oxygen, an ion doped source region connected to the first conductive channel and the second conductive channel, and an ion doped drain region connected to the first conductive channel and the second conductive channel.
US08686513B1
An IGBT die structure includes an auxiliary P well region. A terminal, that is not connected to any other IGBT terminal, is coupled to the auxiliary P well region. To accelerate IGBT turn on, a current is injected into the terminal during the turn on time. The injected current causes charge carriers to be injected into the N drift layer of the IGBT, thereby reducing turn on time. To accelerate IGBT turn off, charge carriers are removed from the N drift layer by drawing current out of the terminal. To reduce VCE(SAT), current can also be injected into the terminal during IGBT on time. An IGBT assembly involves the IGBT die structure and an associated current injection/extraction circuit. As appropriate, the circuit injects or extracts current from the terminal depending on whether the IGBT is in a turn on time or is in a turn off time.
US08686501B2
A semiconductor device includes: a p-type active region; a gate electrode traversing the active region; an n-type LDD region having a first impurity concentration and formed from a drain side region to a region under the gate electrode; a p-type channel region having a second impurity concentration and formed from a source side region to a region under the gate electrode to form an overlap region with the LDD region under the gate electrode, the channel region being shallower than the LDD region; an n-type source region formed outside the gate electrode; and an n+-type drain region having a third impurity concentration higher than the first impurity concentration formed outside and spaced from the gate electrode, wherein an n-type effective impurity concentration of an intermediate region between the gate electrode and the n+-type drain region is higher than an n-type effective impurity concentration of the overlap region.
US08686493B2
A semiconductor structure includes a monolithically integrated trench FET and Schottky diode. The semiconductor structure further includes a plurality of trenches extending into a semiconductor region. A stack of gate and shield electrodes are disposed in each trench. Body regions extend over the semiconductor region between adjacent trenches, with a source region extending over each body region. A recess having tapered edges extends between every two adjacent trenches from upper corners of the two adjacent trenches through the body region and terminating in the semiconductor region below the body region. An interconnect layer extends into each recess to electrically contact tapered sidewalls of the source regions and the body regions, and to contact the semiconductor region along a bottom of each recess to form a Schottky contact therebetween.
US08686492B2
Methods for fabricating an electronic device and electronic devices therefrom are provided. A method includes forming one or more masking layers on a semiconducting surface of a substrate and forming a plurality of dielectric isolation features and a plurality of fin-type projections using the masking layer. The method also includes processing the masking layers and the plurality of fin-type projections to provide an inverted T-shaped cross-section for the plurality of fin-type projections that includes a distal extension portion and a proximal base portion. The method further includes forming a plurality of bottom gate layers on the distal extension portion and forming a plurality of control gate layers on the plurality of dielectric isolation features and the plurality of bottom gate layers.
US08686486B2
It is an object to provide a memory device where an area occupied by a memory cell is small, and moreover, a memory device where an area occupied by a memory cell is small and a data holding period is long. A memory device includes a bit line, a capacitor, a first insulating layer provided over the bit line and including a groove portion, a semiconductor layer, a second insulating layer in contact with the semiconductor layer, and a word line in contact with the second insulating layer. Part of the semiconductor layer is electrically connected to the bit line in a bottom portion of the groove portion, and another part of the semiconductor layer is electrically connected to one electrode of the capacitor in a top surface of the first insulating layer.
US08686479B2
Provided is a solid-state CMOS image sensor, specifically a CMOS image sensor pixel that has stacked photo-sites, high sensitivity, and low dark current. In an image sensor including an array of pixels, each pixel includes: a standard photo-sensing and charge storage region formed in a first region under a surface portion of a substrate and collecting photo-generated carriers; a second charge storage region formed adjacent to the surface portion of the substrate and separated from the standard photo-sensing and charge storage region; and a potential barrier formed between the first region and a second region underneath the first region and diverting the photo-generated carriers from the second region to the second charge storage region.
US08686478B2
Methods of electrically programming a diffusion resistor by using trapped charge in a trapped charge region adjacent to the resistor to vary the resistance of the resistor, and the resistor, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a diffusion resistor in a substrate; forming a trapped charge region adjacent to the diffusion resistor; and adjusting a resistance of the diffusion resistor by controlling the trapped charge in the trapped charge region.
US08686474B2
A structure comprises a substrate, a mask, a buffer/nucleation layer, and a group III-V compound semiconductor material. The substrate has a top surface and has a recess from the top surface. The recess includes a sidewall. The first mask is the top surface of the substrate. The buffer/nucleation layer is along the sidewall, and has a different material composition than a material composition of the sidewall. The III-V compound semiconductor material continuously extends from inside the recess on the buffer/nucleation layer to over the first mask.
US08686473B1
The interface resistance between the source/drain and gate of an HFET may be significantly reduced by engineering the bandgap of the 2DEG outside a gate region such that the charge density is substantially increased. The resistance may be further reduced by using an n+GaN Cap layer over the channel layer and barrier layer such that a horizontal surface of the barrier layer beyond the gate region is covered by the n+GaN Cap layer. This technique is applicable to depletion and enhancement mode HFETs.
US08686471B2
Disclosed are minority carrier based mercury-cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) infrared detectors and arrays, and methods of making, are disclosed. The constructions provided by the invention enable the detectors to be used at higher temperatures, and/or be implemented on less expensive semiconductor substrates to lower manufacturing costs. An exemplary embodiment a substrate, a bottom contact layer disposed on the substrate, a first mercury-cadmium telluride layer having a first bandgap energy value disposed on the bottom contact layer, a second mercury-cadmium telluride layer having a second bandgap energy value that is greater than the first bandgap energy value disposed on the first mercury-cadmium telluride layer, and a collector layer disposed on the second mercury-cadmium telluride layer, wherein the first and second mercury-cadmium telluride layers are each doped with an n-type dopant.
US08686466B2
A method for growth and fabrication of semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N thin films, heterostructures, and devices, comprising identifying desired material properties for a particular device application, selecting a semipolar growth orientation based on the desired material properties, selecting a suitable substrate for growth of the selected semipolar growth orientation, growing a planar semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N template or nucleation layer on the substrate, and growing the semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N thin films, heterostructures or devices on the planar semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N template or nucleation layer. The method results in a large area of the semipolar (Ga, Al, In, B)N thin films, heterostructures, and devices being parallel to the substrate surface.
US08686448B2
D={(2πm+φL+φU)/4π}λ is satisfied when an optical path length between a reflecting layer and pixel electrode and a counter electrode is D, a phase shift in reflection in the reflecting layer and pixel electrode is φL, a phase shift in reflection in the counter electrode is φU, a peak wavelength of a standing wave generated between the reflecting layer and pixel electrode, and the counter electrode is λ, and an integer of 2 or less is m. Here, among red, green, and blue pixel reflecting layer and pixel electrode, at least one reflecting layer and pixel electrode may be made of a different metal material from that of the other reflecting layer and pixel electrodes.
US08686432B2
A semiconductor device composed of a Group III nitride semiconductor has the following structure. A substrate has on it an n-type first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type second semiconductor layer in this order. Two first end faces are formed by cleavage and oppose each other in planar view. Two trenches extend to the two first end faces in the direction orthogonal to the first end faces in planar view. Bottoms of the trenches are positioned at least below the lower surface of the active layer. Second end faces are formed by laser scribing in the direction orthogonal to the first end faces and outside the trenches.
US08686426B2
A plural semiconductive oxides TFT (sos-TFT) provides improved electrical functionality in terms of charge-carrier mobility and/or threshold voltage variability. The sos-TFT may be used to form a thin film transistor array panel for display devices. An example sos-TFT includes: an insulated gate electrode; a first semiconductive oxide layer having a composition including a first semiconductive oxide; and a second semiconductive oxide layer having a different composition that also includes a semiconductive oxide. The first and second semiconductive oxide layers have respective channel regions that are capacitively influenced by a control voltage applied to the gate electrode. In one embodiment, the second semiconductive oxide layer includes at least one additional element that is not included in the first semiconductive oxide layer where the additional element is one of gallium (Ga), silicon (Si), niobium (Nb), hafnium (Hf), and germanium (Ge).
US08686413B2
It is an object to provide a semiconductor device having a new productive semiconductor material and a new structure. The semiconductor device includes a first conductive layer over a substrate, a first insulating layer which covers the first conductive layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the first insulating layer that overlaps with part of the first conductive layer and has a crystal region in a surface part, second and third conductive layers formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, an insulating layer which covers the oxide semiconductor layer and the second and third conductive layers, and a fourth conductive layer over the insulating layer that overlaps with part of the oxide semiconductor layer.
US08686408B2
A photoelectric conversion device is provided and includes: a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first and second electrodes, the photoelectric conversion layer containing a mixture of an organic photoelectric conversion dye, a fullerene or a fullerene derivative, and a fullerene polymer; various embodiments of the device, a photosensor, an imaging device, and production methods for these devices.
US08686402B2
A TFET includes a source region (110, 210), a drain region (120, 220), a channel region (130, 230) between the source region and the drain region, and a gate region (140, 240) adjacent to the channel region. The source region contains a first compound semiconductor including a first Group III material and a first Group V material, and the channel region contains a second compound semiconductor including a second Group III material and a second Group V material. The drain region may contain a third compound semiconductor including a third Group III material and a third Group V material.
US08686398B2
A semiconductor light emitting device includes a first conductivity-type first semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type second semiconductor layer, a semiconductor light emitting layer, and first and second electrodes. The semiconductor light emitting layer is provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, and includes a multiple quantum well structure. The quantum well structure includes well layers and barrier layers each laminated alternately, each of the well layers being not less than 6 nm and not more than 10 nm. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second semiconductor layers such that current flows in a direction substantially vertical to the main surface.
US08686393B2
An integrated circuit device may include a semiconductor substrate including an active region and a transistor in the active region. The transistor may include first and second spaced apart source/drain regions in the active region of the semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor channel region between the first and second source/drain regions. The semiconductor channel region may include a plurality of channel trenches therein between the first and second source/drain regions. A gate insulating layer may be provided on the channel region including sidewalls of the plurality of channel trenches, and a gate electrode may be provided on the gate insulating layer so that the gate insulating layer is between the gate electrode and the semiconductor channel region including the plurality of channel trenches. Related methods are also discussed.
US08686389B1
Provided are resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells having diffusion barrier layers formed from various materials, such as beryllium oxide or titanium silicon nitrides. Resistive switching layers used in ReRAM cells often need to have at least one inert interface such that substantially no materials pass through this interface. The other (reactive) interface may be used to introduce and remove defects from the resistive switching layers causing the switching. While some electrode materials, such as platinum and doped polysilicon, may form inert interfaces, these materials are often difficult to integrate. To expand electrode material options, a diffusion barrier layer is disposed between an electrode and a resistive switching layer and forms the inert interface with the resistive switching layer. In some embodiments, tantalum nitride and titanium nitride may be used for electrodes separated by such diffusion barrier layers.
US08686388B2
A resistive sense memory cell includes a layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide and a layer of amorphous praseodymium calcium manganese oxide disposed on the layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide forming a resistive sense memory stack. A first and second electrode are separated by the resistive sense memory stack. The resistive sense memory cell can further include an oxygen diffusion barrier layer separating the layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide from the layer of amorphous praseodymium calcium manganese oxide a layer. Methods include depositing an amorphous praseodymium calcium manganese oxide disposed on the layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide forming a resistive sense memory stack.
US08686386B2
Embodiments of the invention include a method of forming a nonvolatile memory device that contains a resistive switching memory element that has improved device switching performance and lifetime, due to the addition of a current limiting component disposed therein. The electrical properties of the current limiting component are configured to lower the current flow through the variable resistance layer during the logic state programming steps by adding a fixed series resistance in the resistive switching memory element of the nonvolatile memory device. In some embodiments, the current limiting component comprises a varistor that is a current limiting material disposed within a resistive switching memory element in a nonvolatile resistive switching memory device. Typically, resistive switching memory elements may be formed as part of a high-capacity nonvolatile memory integrated circuit, which can be used in various electronic devices, such as digital cameras, mobile telephones, handheld computers, and music players.
US08686371B1
This is a way interrogating an object using retro-reflection of non-visible light. It uses e.g. IR transmitted toward the object from a distance and covertly detects the retro-reflection. Highly reflective passive non-visible light retroreflectors on the object reflects and refracts light back toward the light transmitter, with the returned light being very nearly parallel to the light from a narrow beam light transmitter.
US08686369B2
The present invention relates to imaging devices. Technical solutions—creation of highly manufacturable assemblage of flat panel x-ray detectors, and providing high quality images. The flat panel x-ray detector comprises a light-blocking split housing consisting of a bottom and top parts; in the housing sequentially along the incident radiation pathway are installed an elastic radiotransparent layer, x-ray screen on the substrate and sensors being fastened to the mounting base. Sensors are fastened on the mounting base with a possibility to be removed with a possibility to be removed by means of additionally set on the sensor substrates intermediate elements. To fix the screen it is additionally introduced a bar inside which the edge of said screen substrate is fixed, and the bar is fastened to mounting base with a possibility to be removed.
US08686366B2
A method and apparatus for remotely detecting, locating, and identifying chemicals and chemical compounds through optically opaque materials. Electromagnetic radiation in the Terahertz range emitted from an antenna array is modulated to excite target molecules. The apparatus then stops the excitation energy and the molecules emit an electromagnetic signature detectable by the device at standoff distances.
US08686360B2
As sample sizes have decreased to microscopic levels, it has become desirable to establish a method for thin film processing and observation with a high level of positional accuracy, especially for materials which are vulnerable to electron beam irradiation. The technological problem is to judge a point at which to end FIB processing and perform control so that the portion to be observed ends up in a central portion of the thin film. The present invention enables display of structure in cross-section by setting a strip-like processing region in an inclined portion of a sample cross-section and enlarging the display of the strip-like processing region on a processing monitor in a short-side direction. It is then possible to check the cross-sectional structure without additional use of an electron beam. Since it is possible to check the processed section without using an electron beam, electron beam-generated damage or deformation to the processed section is avoided. Further, performing the observation using a high-speed electron beam after forming the thin film enables observation with suppressed sample damage. Processing of even thinner thin films using the FIB while observing images of the sample generated using an electron beam is then possible.
US08686344B2
An active infrared induction instrument powered by a dry battery capable of reducing power consumption through the adjustment of the emitter pulse width. The infrared emitted LED emits infrared signals, which, after being reflected by an object, are received by the infrared photodiode. The infrared signals received the infrared signals received by the infrared photodiode then enter an integrated circuit chip through a comparator. The pulse widths of the infrared emission pulse signals are dynamically adjusted after the width of the pulse series is received by the discrimination chip, thus reducing the emission power consumption to save energy.
US08686339B2
Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged. The pixels each includes a photoelectric conversion section, a transfer transistor, a plurality of floating diffusion sections receiving a charge from the photoelectric conversion section through the transfer transistor, a reset transistor resetting the floating diffusion sections, a separating transistor performing on-off control of a connection between the plurality of floating diffusion sections, and an amplifying transistor outputting a signal corresponding to a potential of the floating diffusion sections.
US08686333B2
Apparatuses and methods include a solar array having one or more strings of series-connected local management units (LMUs). Each LMU is parallel-connected to one of a plurality of solar modules. The strings are connected in parallel via a parallel bus. Local string management units (LSMUs) can increase or decrease an output voltage of the solar array by upconverting or downconverting string output voltages from each string. LSMUs can also operate in a bypass mode to increase overall power output.
US08686331B2
The present invention is directed to a laser system in which a current laser wavefront performance of the laser system may be monitored. Further, the laser system embodiments disclosed herein may be configured for correcting the laser wavefront internally via correction system(s) within the laser system. Still further, the correction system(s) disclosed herein may provide a long lifetime of performance and may be configured for having a minimal impact on photocontamination.
US08686330B2
The invention relates to a shell (1) arranged with extensible wings (3) having improved guidance characteristics during the gliding and final phase of the shell (1). The invention is characterized in that the extensible wings (3), via threaded wing fixtures (8), are movably arranged on rotatable axial guide shafts (6) on the shell body (2) for separate or simultaneous displacement of the wings (3) in the longitudinal direction A of the shell (1), for guidance of the shell (1) in the vertical and lateral directions during the trajectory phase of the shell, and in that the wings (3) are also rotatably arranged on radial guide shafts for controlling the angle of incidence of the wings (3) during the final phase of the shell (1).
US08686324B2
A hermetically sealed package, for example a freezable, microwavable package containing a food product, having a sealing film that includes a vent system that is scored by a laser into the package. The vent system includes at least one linear or non-linear vent pattern scored into a portion of the outer surface of the sealing film so as to form at least one weakened wall pattern. According to certain embodiments, the vent pattern may be scored by a laser to a depth that does not perforate the sealing film. The inner surface of the sealing film that is adjacent to the weakened wall pattern is directly exposed to pressure that is generated in the inner region of the package during heating. According to some embodiments, the vent pattern may have a vent pattern span that is approximately 1% to 50% of the size of the inner region span.
US08686322B2
A microwave heating construct includes a movable portion defined at least partially by lines of disruption extending between adjacent edges of the bottom panel. The movable portion is adapted to be moved towards the interior space for maintaining a food item in an elevated position within the construct. A susceptor or other microwave energy interactive element may be joined to the movable portion to enhance heating, browning, and/or crisping of the food item.
US08686314B2
A method for soldering or welding components in a series production wherein: a fixing seam which connects the components (1, 2) is produced by melting a connecting material (3), which is supplied as an additional material or is formed by a base material of the components (1, 2), along a joint formed by the components (1, 2); and a volume-forming layer of connecting material is deposited onto the fixing seam by melting, or the fixing seam produced by means of the connecting material supplied as an additional material is re-melted.
US08686302B2
A selector switch assembly for a load tap changer includes a bevel gear coupled with a motor drive shaft. A shaft assembly is coupled with the bevel gear and a switch is provided for each phase. Each switch includes a helical gear fixed to the shaft assembly, a Geneva pinion gear engaged with the helical gear, a first Geneva gear wheel mounted on a first shaft moved by a first follower of the pinion gear, a first contact arm associated with the first Geneva gear wheel to rotate therewith, a second Geneva gear wheel mounted on a second shaft and moved by a second follower of the pinion gear, and a second contact arm associated with the second Geneva gear wheel so as to rotate therewith. The contact arms include contacts that engage fixed contacts that define tap positions of the load tap changer.
US08686300B2
A printed wiring board includes a resin insulation layer having a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface, the resin insulation layer having an opening for a first via conductor, a pad formed on the first surface of the resin insulation layer and provided to mount an electronic component, a first conductive circuit formed on the second surface of the resin insulation layer, and a first via conductor formed in the opening and connecting the pad and the first conductive circuit. The pad has an embedded portion embedded in the resin insulation layer and a protruding portion protruding from the resin insulation layer, and the embedded portion has an external shape which is greater than an external shape the protruding portion.
US08686299B2
An electronic element unit (1) includes an electronic element (2) having a plurality of connecting terminals (12) on a lower surface thereof, a circuit board (3) having a plurality of electrodes (22) corresponding to the connecting terminals (12) on an upper surface thereof. The connecting terminals (12) and the electrodes (22) are connected by solder bumps (23), and the electronic element (2) and the circuit board (3) are partly bond by a resin bond part (24) made of a thermosetting material of a thermosetting resin, and a metal powder (25) is included in the resin bond parts (24) in a dispersed state. The metal powder (25) has a melting point lower than a temperature at which the resin bond parts (24) are heated when a work (a repairing work) is carried out for removing the electronic element (2) from the circuit board (3).
US08686291B2
An insulating varnish usable for an insulating coat of an insulated wire on a conductor with a quadrangular cross section contains polyamide-imide resin varnish and organosilica sol mixed with the polyamide-imide resin varnish. The polyamide-imide resin varnish contains solvent and polyamide-imide resin. The organosilica sol contains dispersion medium and silica particles dispersed in the dispersion medium. Cyclic ketones having boiling point in a range of 130 to 180° C. make up 70 to 100 wt % or more of the dispersion medium.
US08686286B2
An electrical wire routing device for routing an electric wire between a floor in an automobile and a seat includes a case following parallel to a support rail to which a support body supporting the seat is slidably attached. The case includes a tubular movement section attaching the electric wire thereto, guiding the electric wire to the seat, to which a slider sliding in association with the movement of the seat is slidably attached, and a housing section accommodating the extra length of the electric wire. The movement section and the housing section are provided as separated parts and placed parallel to each other. The extra length of the electric wire extracted from one end portion of the movement section and drawn into the housing section is accommodated in the housing section with the electric wire bent in a U-shape. The electric wire is accommodated in the corrugated tube.
US08686285B2
The present invention refers to using the principal of a room temperature molten ionic liquid, to an electrolyte, to devices comprising the ionic liquid co-melting, and to the preparation of a room temperature ionic liquid via various physical and chemical methods. The room temperature molten ionic liquid comprises at least two component salts, at least one of which is not molten at room temperature, but, if combined with another salt, is in the molten state at room temperature.
US08686279B2
A concentrating solar energy collector comprises a linearly extending receiver comprising solar cells, a plurality of linearly extending reflective elements arranged in side-by-side rows, oriented parallel to a long axis of the receiver, and fixed in position with respect to each other and with respect to the receiver to form a linearly extending reflector, and a linearly extending support structure supporting the receiver and the reflector and pivotally mounted to accommodate rotation of the support structure, the reflector, and the receiver about a rotation axis parallel to the long axis of the receiver.
US08686272B2
An artificial intelligence song/music recommendation system and method is provided that allows music shoppers to discover new music. The system and method accomplish these tasks by analyzing a database of music in order to identify key similarities between different pieces of music, and then recommends pieces of music to a user depending upon their music preferences. Once the song files have been analyzed and mapped, this system uses four layers, metaphorically equivalent to the human immune system, to provide music recommendation.
US08686269B2
A simulated musical instrument may be used to alter the audio of a video game, the video aspects of video game, or both. Use of a controller simulating a musical instrument allows a rhythm-action game can be enjoyed in a manner closer to a realistic state of playing an instrument.
US08686265B2
Described is a drum foot pedal with a tension adjuster for adjusting the tension of the spring and corresponding return action of a beater. The device includes a foot pedal and a beater bracket operably connected with the foot pedal such that the beater bracket is actuated in response to force applied to the foot pedal. A rocker component is attached with the beater bracket such that rotational motion of the beater bracket causes a rotational motion of the rocker component. A swivel component is connected with the rocker component. Further, a spring is attached with the swivel component for biasing the beater bracket to force a return action of a beater when force is removed from the foot pedal. Finally, a spring tension adjuster connected with and between the swivel component and spring, the spring tension adjuster operable for allowing a user to selectively adjust tension of the spring.
US08686261B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1MC9 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1MC9 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1MC9 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1MC9 or a locus conversion of PH1MC9 with another maize variety.
US08686254B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1M3S and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1M3S with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1M3S through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1M3S or a locus conversion of PH1M3S with another maize variety.
US08686253B1
A novel maize variety designated X08C909 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X08C909 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X08C909 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X08C909, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X08C909. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X08C909.
US08686251B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1K8C and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1K8C with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1K8C through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1K8C or a locus conversion of PH1K8C with another maize variety.
US08686239B2
A novel soybean variety, designated XR29A12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XR29A12, cells from soybean variety XR29A12, plants of soybean XR29A12, and plant parts of soybean variety XR29A12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XR29A12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XR29A12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XR29A12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XR29A12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XR29A12 are further provided.
US08686234B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB45J12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB45J12, cells from soybean variety XB45J12, plants of soybean XB45J12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB45J12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB45J12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB45J12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB45J12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB45J12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB45J12 are further provided.
US08686224B2
A 23 amino acid peptide, AtPep1, plays an important role as a signaling component of the innate immune system of Arabidopsis. The peptide precursor gene is transcribed in response to elicitors generated by pathogens, and AtPep1 is produced to amplify the signaling pathways. Seven paralogs of the AtproPep1 gene have been identified in the Arabidopsis genome, and orthologs have been identified in species of several agriculturally important families. AtPep1 and its paralogs and orthologs play important roles as endogenous signals to amplify innate immunity. The sequences of two AtPep1 receptors from Arabidopsis are also provided.
US08686219B2
The present invention is in the field of plant breeding and disease resistance. More specifically, the invention includes methods for assaying a location to determine the amount of pest infestation, or assaying a plant for its ability to resist infection, and using this information to make agronomic treatment and/or breeding decisions. The invention also provides methods for breeding cotton plants containing one or more quantitative trait loci that are associated with resistance to reniform nematode infection. The invention further includes germplasm and the use of germplasm containing quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring reniform resistance as a source of reniform resistant alleles for introgression into elite germplasm in a breeding program, thus producing novel elite germplasm comprising one or more reniform resistance loci.
US08686216B2
The present invention relates to a water-absorbing particulate composition comprising water-absorbing polymer particulate structure comprising partly neutralized, crosslinked polyacrylate, a surface crosslinking agent and a compound of the structure I in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 can be identical or different and in each case represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C1- to C4-hydrocarbon group or a hydroxyl group, R5 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1- to C4-hydrocarbon group or an acetyl group, n represents an integer chosen from the group consisting of 1, 2 or 3 and Mn+ represents an n-valent metal cation or an H+ cation. In addition, the present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a water-absorbing composition, the water-absorbing composition obtainable by this process, a composite, a process for the production of a composite, the composite obtainable by this process, and products, such as hygiene articles.
US08686215B2
An absorbent article comprising an odor control material comprising at least one inclusion complex of cyclodextrin with an organic compound which is dispersed in a matrix comprising a polysiloxane oil.
US08686214B2
An improved post-operative dressing for providing both breast and, notably, nipple reconstruction and which in particular establishes custom lateral supporting of the nipple annulus. A body is constructed of a medical grade silicone and exhibits a three dimensional shape adapted for placement over the reconstructed breast and an aperture defined by an inner rim configured within the body is adapted to seat therethrough an associated nipple graft in a laterally supporting and non-pressure applied fashion. A number of secondary advantages incorporated into the body include each of apertures for breathability, suction/adherence properties, and impregnation or entrainment within the body inner surface of any form of anti-infection medicine.
US08686204B2
Methods for co-processing a biorenewable feedstock and a petroleum distillate feedstock are provided. The petroleum distillate feedstock containing sulfur is reacted with hydrogen gas in the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst thereby forming an effluent mixture comprising hydrogen sulfide. A combined feed comprising the effluent mixture, optionally a recycle liquid, and the biorenewable feedstock is contacted with hydrogen gas in a reaction zone with a deoxygenation catalyst under reaction conditions to provide a reaction product comprising a hydrocarbon fraction. The combined feed comprises greater than 50 weight percent biorenewable feedstock.
US08686203B2
A process for preparing fuels, such as diesel fuels or jet fuels, by hydrotreating vegetable oils or fatty acid derivatives that may be applied to existing equipment for treating fossil fuels. The process comprises feeding hydrotreating a combined oxygenate feed stream, such as FAME, and a hydrocarbon feed stream until not more than 86 wt % of the esters in the oxygenate feed stream are converted to hydrocarbons, and optionally further hydrotreating the product stream within at least a second hydrotreatment reaction zone until at least 90 wt % of the esters in the oxygenate feed stream are converted to hydrocarbons, before removing and separating a hydrocarbon stream suitable for use as fuel.
US08686196B2
A liquid crystal medium, which has a liquid crystal phase over a wide temperature range, a large refractive index anisotropy, and a large dielectric anisotropy, and exhibits an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase, is provided. The liquid crystal medium is characterized by containing a liquid crystal compound having four benzene rings and a difluoromethyleneoxy group, and a chiral reagent, and exhibiting an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase.
US08686193B2
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of m-substituted phenylalkanols of the formula (I) in which R1 is C1-C5-alkyl and R2, R3, R4 and R5, independently of one another, are hydrogen or methyl, wherein a p-substituted phenylalkanol of the formula (II) in which R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 having the meanings given under formula (I), is isomerized in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst to give an m-substituted phenylalkanol of the formula (I). From the m-substituted phenylalkanols of the formula (I) it is possible to form, by oxidation or dehydrogenation, as products of value, the corresponding aldehydes, which are known as fragrances and aroma chemicals.
US08686183B2
The invention provides a method for the hydroxycarbonylation, alkoxycarbonylation, aryloxycarbonylation or thiocarbonylation of an unsaturated molecule. The method includes a hydroxycarbonylation, alkoxycarbonylation, aryloxycarbonylationor thiocarbonylation reaction on the unsaturated molecule in which a complex including a ligand comprising a [n,n′] cyclophane comprising two non-fused monocyclic aromatic rings bridged by two linear and aliphatic linkages, in which each of the non-fused monocyclic aromatic rings is substituted with a phosphorus atom-containing substituent, is used to catalyse the reaction.
US08686182B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing isocyanates and/or polyisocyanates by reacting the corresponding amines with phosgene, optionally in the presence of an inert medium, in a reactor (1), a first reactant stream comprising the amine being supplied to the reactor (1) in liquid form, and a second reactant stream comprising the phosgene being supplied to the reactor in gaseous form. The reactor is a centrifugal reactor (1) having a packing (9) which rotates about a central axis (7) in a housing (13), the first reactant stream and the second reactant stream being supplied to the rotating packing (9) such that the reactant streams are mixed due to the centrifugal force in the rotating packing (9) and are transported outward, the mixing in the rotating packing (9) resulting in reaction of the phosgene with the amine to give the corresponding isocyanate or polyisocyanate.
US08686181B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, which comprises transesterification of ethylene glycol with an ester of methacrylic acid in the presence of catalysts, wherein a combination comprising lithium amide (LiNH2) and lithium chloride (LiCl) is used as catalyst. The process of the invention makes it possible to prepare ethylene glycol dimethacrylate particularly inexpensively and in a very high purity.
US08686176B2
The present invention discloses a method for synthesizing a reversibly protected organometallic compound which comprises (1) reacting an organometallic compound with a hydroxyl group containing compound to produce a solution containing the reversibly protected organometallic compound and hydrogen chloride; (2) reacting the solution containing the reversibly protected organometallic compound and the hydrogen chloride with a trialkyl amine to precipitate the hydrogen chloride from the solution; and (3) recovering the reversibly protected organometallic compound from the solution of the reversibly protected organometallic compound.
US08686173B2
A process for preparing 1,3,5-triethyl-2,4,6-trihydrido-2,4,6-triethylamino-1,3,5-triaza-2,4,6-trisilacyclohexane, wherein trichlorosilane is reacted with ethylamine in a solvent.
US08686164B2
4′-epidaunorubicin hydrochloride is provided in a crystalline form which is stable and readily soluble. A process of producing the crystalline form includes crystallizing 4′-epidaunorubicin hydrochloride in a solvent system including (a) solvent A selected from C1 and C2 halogenated solvents and mixtures thereof, (b) solvent B selected from C1-C5 straight and branched alcohols and mixtures thereof, and (c) solvent C selected from C1-C5 straight and branched alcohols and mixtures thereof, wherein solvent C is selected to provide lower solubility to 4′-epidaunorubicin hydrochloride than solvent B.
US08686163B2
A process for forming amorphous atorvastatin comprising the steps of dissolving atorvastatin in a non-hydroxylic solvent and removing the solvent by freeze-drying, as well as processes of dissolving atorvastatin in a hydroxylic solvent with a solubilizing agent or an alkalizing agent or an antioxidant and removing the solvent by freeze-drying to afford amorphous atorvastatin.
US08686159B2
An oxadiazole derivative represented by the following general formula (G1) is synthesized and applied to the light emitting element, Am; wherein Am is a substituent represented by a general formula (Am1), (Am2), or (Am3); each of α, β1, and β2 represents an arylene group having 6 to 25 carbon atoms; each of Ar1 to Ar6 represents an aryl group having 6 to 25 carbon atoms; each of R1 to R3 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 25 carbon atoms; and R4 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 25 carbon atoms.
US08686157B2
The present invention relates to processes for the facile synthesis of diaryl amines and analogues thereof. The processes of the present invention produce diaryl amines in high yield and purity. The present invention also relates to intermediates useful in the process of the present invention.
US08686151B2
Disclosed are a novel montelukast 4-halobenzylamine salt, and a method for preparing a montelukast sodium salt by using the same. In the disclosed method, a montelukast 4-halobenzylamine salt represented by Formula 2 or a montelukast sodium salt represented by Formula 1 is prepared by obtaining a compound represented by Formula 3 from a compound represented by Formula 5, in the same reactor, without an additional obtaining process. In Formula 2, X represents F, Cl, Br or I.
US08686149B2
The present invention relates to compounds defined by formula I wherein the variables R1, R2, R3, R4, and m are defined as in claim 1, possessing valuable pharmacological activity. Particularly, the compounds are inhibitors of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) 1 and thus are suitable for treatment and prevention of diseases which can be influenced by inhibition of this enzyme, such as metabolic diseases, in particular diabetes type 2, obesity, and dyslipidemia.
US08686139B2
The present invention relates to organic electronic devices that include an organic semiconducting material. The organic electronic devices may include organic light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors, sensors, photodetectors, organic solar cells, organic thin-film transistors, organic integrated circuits, organic field-quench devices, organic light-emitting transistors, light-emitting electrochemical cells, or organic laser diodes.
US08686134B2
The invention relates to an ionic liquid composition and a method for preparing the ionic liquid. The ionic liquid comprises a cation containing the Formula I, as herein disclosed, and wherein: n is 2, R1 is selected from the group consisting of: H, C1-C12 alkyl, aryl or together with R2 may form a heterocyclic ring, and R2 is selected from the group consisting of: H, C1-C12 alkyl, aryl or together with R1 may form a heterocyclic ring, and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C12 alkyl, and wherein R1 and R2 are not simultaneously selected from hydrogen.
US08686132B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a chemically modified polysaccharide, preferably starch, by using a microdevice. It further relates to the use of a microdevice for the chemical reactions of polysaccharides in heterogeneous mixtures. Examples of chemical modifications are acetylation, oxidation, hydroxypropylation and the like.
US08686128B2
The present invention provides a method of preventing or reducing restenosis, neointima formation, graft failure, atherosclerosis, angiogenesis and/or solid tumor growth in a subject. The method comprises administering to the subject a prophylactically effective dose of a nucleic acid which decreases the level of c-Jun mRNA, c-Jun mRNA translation or nuclear accumulation or activity of c-Jun. It is preferred that the nucleic acid is a DNAzyme that targets c-Jun mRNA.
US08686124B2
Compositions and methods for conferring pesticidal activity, including against lepidopteran pests, to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for a toxin polypeptide are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in plants and bacteria. Compositions also comprise transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, isolated toxin nucleic acid molecules are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed, and antibodies specifically binding to those amino acid sequences. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:27 and 28, or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, 8, 13, and 18, as well as variants and fragments thereof.
US08686122B2
A method is disclosed for making a conjugate of two molecules using a hydrazide thiol linker. In a particular working embodiment, an Fc-specific antibody-enzyme conjugate is made using the method and demonstrated to provide exceptional staining sensitivity and specificity in immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization assays.
US08686117B2
A platelet aggregation inducing substance containing as an active ingredient a polypeptide having a peptide fragment represented by formula (1) (component A): -(Pro-X-Gly)n- (1) wherein X represents Pro or Hyp; and n represents an integer of from 20 to 5,000.
US08686112B2
A molecular probe for use in detection of cancer cells expressing an Ig superfamily cell adhesion molecule that binds in a homophilic fashion in a subject includes a targeting agent that specifically binds to and/or complexes with a proteolytically cleaved extracellular fragment of the Ig superfamily cell adhesion molecule.
US08686110B2
The present invention relates generally to therapeutic molecules which are useful for modulating apoptosis in a target cell or cell population. More particularly, the present invention provides therapeutic agents which inhibit pro-survival molecules and which are capable of inducing or facilitating apoptosis of a target cell or cell population such as cancer cells. The present invention further provides methods for generating or selecting the therapeutic molecules and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the therapeutic molecules.
US08686104B2
A polymer of formula (I): where: n is an integer from 10 to 5,000; m is an integer from 10 to 5,000; Ar1 and Ar3 are the same or different and are residues derived from a tetra-hydroxy aromatic monomer, the tetra-hydroxy aromatic monomer being wherein R is the same or different and is H or a C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C8 alkenyl or C3-C8 cycloalkyl group; and, Ar2 and Ar4 are the same or different and are residues derived from a tetra-halogenated aromatic monomer, the tetra-halogenated aromatic monomer being wherein X is F, Cl or Br, and R1 and R2 are the same or different and are wherein y is an integer from 1 to 8; with the proviso that when Ar1 is the same as Ar3 and Ar2 is the same as Ar4, R1 and R2 are not both —CN is useful as a material for gas separation, vapor separation, adsorbents or catalysis.
US08686099B2
There is provided a mono-(meth)acrylate functionalized hydrophilic silicone monomers containing a polyether with branched linking group, useful in making water absorbing silicone-hydrogel films for contact lens applications. This invention also provides homo-polymers and copolymers made from the mono-(meth)acrylate functionalized hydrophilic silicone monomers described herein. Also provided is a process for producing the monomers and polymers described herein and contact lenses produced from the same.
US08686098B2
A fluorine-containing polymer of the present invention contains a repeating unit (a) of the general formula (2) and has a mass-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 1,000,000. This polymer is suitably used in a resist composition for pattern formation by high energy ray radiation of 300 nm or less wavelength or electron beam radiation or a top coat composition for liquid immersion lithography and is characterized as having high water repellency, notably high receding contact angle. In the formula, R1 represents a polymerizable double bond-containing group; R2 represents a fluorine atom or a fluorine-containing alkyl group; R8 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or the like; and W1 represents a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted methylene group or the like.
US08686095B2
An epoxy resin with amine functionality is manufactured continuously through a first reaction zone in which an epoxide-functional resin is made by ring-opening addition, a second reaction zone in which the resin is reacted with amine to make an epoxide-functional product, and a third reaction zone in which the epoxide functional product is reacted with amine to make the epoxy resin with amine functionality. In other embodiments, some amine may be added in the first reaction zone to produce an epoxide functional product, with elimination of the second reaction zone, or all of the amine reactant may be added in the first reaction zone to produce an amine functional product, with elimination of both the second and third reaction zones. Optionally, solvent may be removed in an evaporation zone and recycled into the continuous process and further zones may be included to incorporate crosslinker, additives, and to emulsify the resin.
US08686093B2
Heterophasic polypropylene resin having a MFR (2.16 kg, 230° C.) of at least 1.0 g/10 min, determined according to ISO 1133, comprising a propylene random copolymer matrix phase (A), and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber phase (B) dispersed within the matrix phase, wherein the heterophasic polypropylene resin has a fraction soluble in p-xylene at 25° C. (XCS fraction) being present in the resin in an amount of 15 to 45 wt % whereby the XCS fraction has an ethylene content of 25 wt % or lower, and a fraction insoluble in p-xylene at 25° C. (XCU fraction), said heterophasic polypropylene resin being characterized by a strain hardening factor (SHF) of 1.7 to 4.0 when measured at a strain rate of 3.0 s−1 and a Hencky strain of 3.0.
US08686089B2
The present disclosure provides an aqueous dispersion comprising a solid particle and a polymeric dispersant, wherein the polymeric dispersant is a block copolymer comprising an A block and a B block, wherein the A block is a segment having a block size of about 5 to about 18 units, and comprises at least 50% by weight of a monomer having the following structure: CH2═CRC(O)O(CHR1CH2O)nR2; wherein R and R1 are H, or methyl; R2 is alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms or phenyl; and n is about 1 about 20; and the B block is a segment comprising an ionic monomer and at least one hydrophobic monomer; and wherein the dispersant comprises a crosslinkable moiety; wherein the crosslinkable moiety is crosslinked with a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of epoxide, carbodiimide, oxazoline, isocyanate, and silane; and wherein the aqueous dispersion has a pH of at least about 8.0. These dispersions when used in aqueous ink jet inks provide images with the requisite optical density and chroma needed for emerging ink jet applications.
US08686086B2
A process for the preparation of a rubber composition for the manufacture of tires is presented. The composition is based on one or more diene elastomers, one or more reinforcing fillers, and a crosslinking system. The composition includes particles of one or more thermoplastic materials chosen from amorphous thermoplastic materials and semicrystalline thermoplastic materials, with the glass transition temperature of the amorphous thermoplastic material or materials and the melting point of the semicrystalline thermoplastic material or materials varying from 80° C. to 300° C. The particles exhibit a volume-average diameter of less than or equal to 200 μm.
US08686081B2
An aqueous coating composition containing a polymer which contains calcium or magnesium and polymerized residues of three monomers. The first monomer is a complexing monomer having a log stability constant for calcium or magnesium from 0.3 to 4. The second monomer is methacrylic acid. The third monomer is a crosslinker.
US08686080B2
The present invention relates to a biodegradable polyester film comprising: i) from 75 to 100% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, of a biodegradable polyester based on aliphatic and/or aromatic dicarboxylic acids and on an aliphatic dihydroxy compound; ii) from 0 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, of polylactic acid; iii) from 10 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to v, of calcium carbonate; iv) from 3 to 15% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to v, of talc; v) from 0 to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to v, of a copolymer which contains epoxy groups and is based on styrene, acrylic ester, and/or methacrylic ester; vi) from 0 to 2% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to v, of 2-(4,6-bisbiphenyl-4-yl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-5-(2-ethyl-(n)-hexyloxy)phenol.
US08686077B2
This invention relates to a composition and method of modifying the surface of a polymeric to produce a film or article with a reduced coefficient of friction (COF) and improved release properties. The reduced coefficient of friction improves both the slip and anti-blocking properties of the material as well aiding in processing of the polymeric material. Additionally, the invention improves demolding and release of the polymeric material from other polymeric surfaces or adhesives as well as metal molding surfaces.
US08686064B2
The invention provides a method for the preparation of bone-polymer composites wherein the mineral portion of the bone is treated with a coupling agent before being incorporated into a biocompatible polymeric matrix. The resulting composites may be used as such or be further processed to form an osteoimplant.
US08686054B2
A new class of membranes for use in protective clothing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a polymer-polymer membrane with an ionic polymer located within the nanopores of a porous polymer host membrane. A method for making the polymer-polymer membranes involves filling porous polymers with ionic polymers. The porous polymers may be fabricated by a template synthesis which involves sorption. The ionic polymers may be filled in the nanopores of the porous polymer by plasma-induced graft copolymerization of the ionic polymer with the porous polymeric host membrane.
US08686043B2
The invention is directed to a class of compounds, including the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds, having the structure of formula I: as defined in the specification. The invention is also directed to compositions containing and uses of the compounds of formula I.
US08686042B2
The invention relates to urea derivatives of formula (I) as inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3β, GSK-3, to processes of preparation of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, and to their use for the treatment and or prophylaxis of a disease in which GSK-3 is involved, such as Alzheimer's disease or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
US08686034B2
A crystalline form of a γ-aminobutyric acid analog, and methods of preparing same, are provided.
US08686029B2
Antioxidant compositions for the stabilization of fat sources against oxidation, stabilized fat source compositions, and methods of stabilizing fat sources against oxidation are described. In particular, an antioxidant emulsion that includes quercetin in addition to at least one other ingredient and a lipid carrier is described.
US08686022B2
The present invention provides compounds according to general formula (I) which are proposed for the treatment of respiratory complaints, particularly asthma and COPD.
US08686020B2
The present invention relates to a novel class of substituted spirocyclic compounds. These compounds can inhibit histone deacetylase and are suitable for use in selectively inducing terminal differentiation, and arresting cell growth and/or apoptosis of neoplastic cells, thereby inhibiting proliferation of such cells. Thus, the compounds of the present invention are useful in treating a patient having a tumor characterized by proliferation of neoplastic cells. The compounds of the invention may also be useful in the prevention and treatment of TRX-mediated diseases, such as autoimmune, allergic and inflammatory diseases, and in the prevention and/or treatment of diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), such as neurodegenerative diseases. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the instant invention and safe dosing regimens of these pharmaceutical compositions, which are easy to follow, and which result in a therapeutically effective amount of these compounds in vivo.
US08686017B2
Methods and therapeutic strategies utilizing proteinacious channels in lipid membranes of mammalian cells. The methods entail administering a pharmaceutical to a lipid membrane of a mammalian cell, and then determining the effect of the pharmaceutical on the electrophysiology of at least one proteinacious channel of the lipid membrane, wherein the proteinacious channel is a Kv7 potassium channel and/or a L-type calcium channel of an airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC). The method can be used to identify pharmaceuticals that may be used to treat asthmatic and other bronchospastic conditions that can lead to airway obstruction, or to perform drug screening to assess potential risk of pharmaceuticals.
US08686009B2
The invention provides a method of sustained delivery of a lactam, imide, amide, sulfonamide, carbamate or urea containing parent drug by administering to a patient an effective amount of a prodrug compound of the invention wherein upon administration to the patient, release of the parent drug from the prodrug is sustained release. Prodrug compounds suitable for use in the methods of the invention are labile conjugates of parent drugs that are derivatized through carbonyl linked prodrug moieties. The prodrug compounds of the invention can be used to treat any condition for which the lactam, imide, amide, sulfonamide, carbamate or urea containing parent drug is useful as a treatment.
US08686006B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a pharmaceutical composition that improves intestinal absorption of a compound having a structure represented by the general formula [1]. The composition containing a compound represented by the general formula [1] or a salt thereof and (b) a lipophilic substance improves intestinal absorption of the compound. In the formula, A represents —(NR4)—, —(CR5R6)— or the like; B represents an alkylene group or an alkenylene group; R1 represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group or the like; R2 represents an adamantylalkyl group or the like; R3 represents an unsaturated heterocyclic ring; R4, R5 and R6 each represent a hydrogen atom or the like; and X represents an oxygen atom or the like.
US08686001B2
The invention relates to an ophthalmic medicament for treating glaucoma which comprises a clathrate compound prepared by dissolving cilostazol or a salt thereof in a cyclodextrin.
US08685994B2
Disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition, comprising two analgesic compounds and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof consisting of celecoxib and/or at least one pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and oxycodone and/or at least one pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, said two analgesic compounds in an amount sufficient to provide an analgesic effect in a human patient. Also disclosed is a method of effectively treating pain in humans or other mammals, comprising orally administering to the patient an oral dosage form comprising two analgesic compounds consisting of celecoxib and/or at least one pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and oxycodone and/or at least one pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, said two analgesic compounds in an amount sufficient to provide an analgesic effect in a human patient.
US08685991B2
This invention relates to: (a) compounds and salts thereof that, inter alia, inhibit HCV; (b) intermediates useful for the preparation of such compounds and salts; (c) compositions comprising such compounds and salts; (d) methods for preparing such intermediates, compounds, salts, and compositions; (e) methods of use of such compounds, salts, and compositions; and (f) kits comprising such compounds, salts, and compositions.
US08685978B2
Novel 3′-deoxy-3′-acylaminospectinomycin compounds are described. Also described are methods of using the 3′-deoxy-3-acylaminospectinomycin compounds and other spectinomycin analogs in treating tuberculosis and in treating microbial infections.
US08685975B2
Compounds that inhibit PDE10 are disclosed that have utility in the treatment of a variety of conditions, including (but not limited to) psychotic, anxiety, movement disorders and/or neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, encephalitis, phobias, epilepsy, aphasia, Bell's palsy, cerebral palsy, sleep disorders, pain, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, delusional disorders, drug-induced psychosis and panic and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts, stereoisomers, solvates and prodrugs of the compounds are also provided. Also disclosed are compositions containing a compound in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as well as methods relating to the use thereof for inhibiting PDE10 in a warm-blooded animal in need of the same.
US08685973B2
The present invention provides a class of pyrimidinedione cyclohexyl compounds and methods of using these compounds as glucocorticoid receptor modulators.
US08685969B2
Compounds having formula (I), and enantiomers, and diastereomers, stereoisomers, pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof, formula (I) are useful as kinase modulators, including Btk modulation.
US08685951B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for cytoprotection. In particular, it provides zinc chelate compositions comprising at least one zinc ion and at least one aminothiol ligand.
US08685946B2
The present invention relates to the discovery of a method for inhibiting RNA silencing in a target sequence-specific manner. RNA silencing requires a set of conserved cellular factors to suppress expression of gene-encoded polypeptide. The invention provides compositions for sequence-specific inactivation of the RISC component of the RNA silencing pathway, and methods of use thereof. The RISC inactivators of the present invention enable a variety of methods for identifying and characterizing miRNAs and siRNAs, RISC-associated factors, and agents capable of modulating RNA silencing. Therapeutic methods and compositions incorporating RISC inactivators and therapeutic agents identified through use of RISC inactivators are also featured.
US08685942B2
A composition of matter comprising sophorolipids as antimicrobial agents, antifungal agents, biopesticides, for uses as drugs to treat HIV, septic shock, cancer, asthma, dermatological conditions, as spermicidal agents, as anti-inflammatory drugs, as ingredients in cosmetics and building blocks for monomers and polymers and self-assembled templates for further chemical elaboration.
US08685940B2
Connexin modulation for the treatment of wounds that do not heal at expected rates, including delayed healing wounds, incompletely healing wounds, and chronic wounds, and associated methods, compositions and articles.
US08685938B2
The present invention provides methods for restoring or enhancing T cell mediated immune response in individuals of middle and advanced age.
US08685933B2
The invention relates to peptides and, in particular, heptapeptides derived from milk casein αs1 and having anxiolytic activity. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical and food compositions containing said peptides and to the preparation methods thereof.
US08685930B2
Methods of treating an eye of a human or animal include administering to an eye of a human or animal a composition in the form of an emulsion including water, a hydrophobic component and a cyclosporin component in a therapeutically effective amount of less than 0.1% by weight of the composition. The weight ratio of the cyclosporin component to the hydrophobic component is less than 0.8.
US08685928B2
The present invention is directed to improved compositions for cellular delivery of peptides. Using segments of only 3-5 positively-charged residues, one can effectively transfer peptides, including therapeutic peptides, into cells. Also provided are modified peptides such as those include stapled and cyclized peptide technology, as well as peptoids/peptidomimetics.
US08685924B2
An agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of stress urinary incontinence, which contains a substance that activates a serotonin 5-HT2C receptor, an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of stress urinary incontinence, which contains a substance that stimulates an androgen binding site, and a method of screening for a drug for the prophylaxis or treatment of abdominal pressure incontinence, which includes electrostimulating the abdominal muscles or a nerve controlling them of an animal to increase the abdominal pressure, and measuring the leak point pressure at that time.
US08685921B2
Provided herein are compounds that inhibit a binding interaction between a β integrin and a G protein subunit, as well as compositions, e.g., pharmaceutical compositions, comprising the same, and related kits. In some embodiments, the compound is an antibody or antibody analog, and, in other embodiments, the compound is a peptide or peptide analog. Also provided are methods of using the compounds, including methods of treating or preventing a medical condition, such as stroke, heart attack, cancer, or inflammation.
US08685920B2
The present invention discloses a method for targeting maytansinoids to a selected cell population, the method comprising contacting a cell population or tissue suspected of containing the selected cell population with a cell-binding agent maytansinoid conjugate, wherein one or more maytansinoids is covalently linked to the cell-binding agent via a non-cleavable linker and the cell-binding agent binds to cells of the selected cell population.
US08685898B2
Methods are provided for producing monoclonal antibody candidates using adaptive immunity profiling. In some aspects, the method provides for the use of massively parallel signature sequencing.
US08685896B2
The present disclosure enables methods of identifying the VH and VL class pairs in the human immune repertoire, determining the VH and VL class pairs that are most prevalent and those having favorable biophysical properties. More specifically, the collections of the present disclosure comprise the most prevalent and/or preferred VH and VL class pairings with highly diversified CDRs.
US08685891B2
Methods and immunoassays for the determination of fatty acid synthase (FAS) expression in patients having or suspected of having a proliferative disorder, especially prostate cancer, are disclosed. The sensitive method and assay detect the level of expression of FAS in a biological sample using antibodies that are highly specific for FAS. The method and assay can be used to monitor the progression of cancer, and/or to predict the efficacy of certain treatments or the likelihood of recurrence of the cancer.
US08685886B2
The invention is directed to a seed coating composition, to a seed coating cocktail, to a method for preparing a coated seed, to a coated seed, and to the use of specific inorganic particles. The seed coating composition for a seed comprises water and at least 35 wt. % by weight of the coating composition of inorganic particles, wherein the mean particle size (D50) of said inorganic particles as measured by laser obscuration time technology is 250 μm or less.
US08685883B2
The present invention provides porous body precursors and shaped porous bodies. Also included are catalysts and other end-use products based upon the shaped porous bodies and thus the porous body precursors. Finally, processes for making these are provided. The porous body precursors comprise a precursor alumina blend capable of enhancing one or more properties of a shaped porous body based thereupon. The need to employ modifiers to achieve a similar result may thus be substantially reduced, or even avoided, and cost savings are thus provided, as well as savings in time and equipment costs.
US08685869B2
A knitted textile fabric for use in safety apparel, comprising a first yarn containing modacrylic fibers and a second yarn containing apparel, preferably cellulosic, fibers. The first and second yarns are interknitted with one another, e.g., in plated or bi-ply, relationship with the modacrylic yarn disposed predominantly at an outer face of the fabric for imparting flame resistant properties and an affinity for high visibility dyes and with the cellulosic yarn disposed predominantly at the opposite face of the fabric for imparting a hand suitable for comfortable body contact with a user's skin.
US08685865B2
A method of forming patterns of a semiconductor device may include forming a photoresist layer that includes a photo acid generator (PAG) and a photo base generator (PBG), generating an acid from the PAG in a first exposed portion of the photoresist layer by first-exposing the photoresist layer, and generating a base from the PBG in a second exposed portion of the photoresist layer by second-exposing a part of the first exposed portion and neutralizing the acid. The method may also include baking the photoresist layer after the first and second-exposing and deblocking the photoresist layer of the first exposed portion in which the acid is generated to form a deblocked photoresist layer, and forming a photoresist pattern by removing the deblocked photoresist layer by using a developer.
US08685856B2
A fabrication method of an anti-reflection structure includes the steps of: forming a resin film having micro-particles dispersed therein on a surface of a substrate; forming a protrusion dummy pattern on the resin film by etching the resin film using the micro-particles in the resin film as a mask while gradually etching the micro-particles; and forming a protrusion pattern on the surface of the substrate by etching back the surface of the substrate together with the resin film having the protrusion dummy pattern formed thereon, and transferring a surface shape of the protrusion dummy pattern formed on a surface of the resin film to the surface of the substrate.
US08685854B2
A process for burying a tungsten member into a blind hole formed in a wafer, in which blind hole a through via is to be made. Film-formation (for forming the tungsten member) is carried out to position, at the periphery of the wafer, the outer circumference of the tungsten member inside the outer circumference of a barrier metal beneath the tungsten film. This process makes it possible to bury the tungsten member, which may be relatively thin, into the blind hole, which may be relatively large, so as to decrease a warp of the wafer and further prevent an underlying layer beneath the tungsten member from being peeled at the periphery of the wafer.
US08685833B2
A method is provided for bonding a semiconductor chip to a packaging substrate while minimizing the variation in the solder ball heights and controlling the stress in the solder balls and the stress in the packaging substrate. During the solder reflow, the warp of the packaging substrate, including the absolute warp, thermal warp, and substrate to substrate variations of the warp, is constrained at a minimal level by providing a clamping constraint to the packaging substrate. During cool down of the solder balls, the stresses and strains of the solder joints are maintained at levels that do not cause tear of the solder joints or breakage of the packaging substrate by removing the clamping constraint. Thus, the bonding process provides both uniform solder height with minimized solder non-wets and stress minimization of the solder balls and the packaging substrate.
US08685828B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device are disclosed. The method comprises forming a trench in a substrate, partially filling the trench with a first semiconductive material, forming an interface along a surface of the first semiconductive material, and filling the trench with a second semiconductive material. The semiconductor device includes a first electrode arranged along sidewalls of a trench and a dielectric arranged over the first electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a second electrode at least partially filling the trench, wherein the second electrode comprises an interface within the second electrode.
US08685827B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising forming a first gate stack portion on a substrate, the first gate stack portion including a first gate oxide layer and a first polysilicon layer on the first gate oxide layer, forming a second gate stack portion on the substrate, the second gate stack portion including a second gate oxide layer and a second polysilicon layer on the second gate oxide layer, forming a resistor portion on the substrate, the resistor portion including a third gate oxide layer and a third polysilicon layer on the third gate oxide layer, covering the resistor portion with a photoresist, removing respective first portions of the first and second polysilicon layers from the first and second gate stack portions, removing the photoresist from the resistor portion, and after removing the photoresist from the resistor portion, removing respective remaining portions of the first and second polysilicon layers from the first and second gate stack portions.
US08685809B2
Self-assembled polymer technology is used to form at least one ordered nanosized pattern within material that is present in a conductive contact region of a semiconductor structure. The material having the ordered, nanosized pattern is a conductive material of an interconnect structure or semiconductor source and drain diffusion regions of a field effect transistor. The presence of the ordered, nanosized pattern material within the contact region increases the overall area (i.e., interface area) for subsequent contact formation which, in turn, reduces the contact resistance of the structure. The reduction in contact resistance in turn improves the flow of current through the structure. In addition to the above, the inventive methods and structures do not affect the junction capacitance of the structure since the junction area remains unchanged.
US08685806B2
A method of forming a SOI substrate, diodes in the SOI substrate and electronic devices in the SOI substrate and an electronic device formed using the SOI substrate. The method of forming the SOI substrate includes forming an oxide layer on a silicon first substrate; ion-implanting hydrogen through the oxide layer into the first substrate, to form a fracture zone in the substrate; forming a doped dielectric bonding layer on a silicon second substrate; bonding a top surface of the bonding layer to a top surface of the oxide layer; thinning the first substrate by thermal cleaving of the first substrate along the fracture zone to form a silicon layer on the oxide layer to formed a bonded substrate; and heating the bonded substrate to drive dopant from the bonding layer into the second substrate to form a doped layer in the second substrate adjacent to the bonding layer.
US08685803B2
A semiconductor device includes: a thin film transistor having a gate line (3a), a first insulating film (5), an island-shaped oxide semiconductor layer (7a), a second insulating film (9), a source line (13as), a drain electrode (13ad), and a passivation film; and a terminal portion having a first connecting portion (3c) made of the same conductive film as the gate line, a second connecting portion (13c) made of the same conductive film as the source line and the drain electrode, and a third connecting portion (19c) formed on the second connecting portion. The second connecting portion is in contact with the first connecting portion within a first opening (11c) provided in the first and second insulating films; the third connecting portion (19c) is in contact with the second connecting portion within a second opening (17c) provided in the passivation film; and the second connecting portion (13c) covers end faces of the first and second insulating films within the first opening (11c), but does not cover an end face of the passivation film (15) within the second opening (17c). As a result, the taper shape of a contact hole of the terminal portion can be controlled with a high precision.
US08685802B2
Methods of forming a graphene-based device are provided. According to an embodiment, a graphene-based device can be formed by subjecting a substrate having a dielectric formed thereon to a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process using a cracked hydrocarbon or a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process using a graphite source; and performing an annealing process. The annealing process can be performed to temperatures of 1000 K or more. The cracked hydrocarbon of the CVD process can be cracked ethylene. In accordance with one embodiment, the application of the cracked ethylene to a MgO(111) surface followed by an annealing under ultra high vacuum conditions can result in a structure on the MgO(111) surface of an ordered graphene film with an oxidized carbon-containing interfacial layer therebetween. In another embodiment, the PVD process can be used to form single or multiple monolayers of graphene.
US08685798B2
Methods for forming through vias in an integrated circuit package are disclosed. A substrate having a first surface is covered with an encapsulation layer of uncured material; the method includes inserting an upper mold tool having a first plurality of pillars into the encapsulation layer to imprint through vias extending to the first surface of the substrate; curing the encapsulation layer and the through vias; removing the upper mold tool from the encapsulation layer; and disposing conductor material within the through vias to make electrical connectors within the through vias. In additional methods, a method for forming an encapsulation layer using an upper and lower mold tool to form through vias and a mold cavity is disclosed.
US08685788B2
The present invention belongs to the technical field of semiconductor devices and specifically relates to a method for manufacturing a nanowire tunneling field effect transistor (TFET). In the method, the ZnO nanowire required is developed in a water bath without the need for high temperatures and high pressure, featuring a simple solution preparation, convenient development and low cost, as well as constituting MOS devices of vertical structure with nanowire directly, thus omitting the nanowire treatment in the subsequent stage. The present invention has the advantages of simple structure, convenient manufacturing, and low cost, and control of the nanowire channel developed and the MOSFET array with vertical structure made of it though the gate, so as to facilitate the manufacturing of large-scale MOSFET array directly.
US08685759B2
The present disclosure describes a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The apparatus includes a processing chamber designed to perform a process to a wafer; an electrostatic chuck (E-chuck) configured in the processing chamber and designed to secure the wafer, wherein the E-chuck includes an electrode and a dielectric feature formed on the electrode; a tuning structure designed to hold the E-chuck to the processing chamber by clamping forces, wherein the tuning structure is operable to dynamically adjust the clamping forces; a sensor integrated with the E-chuck and sensitive to the clamping forces; and a process control module for controlling the tuning structure to adjust the clamping forces based on pre-measurement data from the wafer and sensor data from the sensor.
US08685756B2
A dual tunnel barrier magnetic element has a free magnetic layer positioned between first and second tunnel barriers and an electrode over the second tunnel barrier. A two step etch process allows for forming an encapsulation material on a side wall of the electrode and the second tunnel barrier subsequent to the first etch for preventing damage to the first tunnel barrier when performing the second etch to remove a portion of the free layer.
US08685754B2
Droplet actuator devices and methods for immunoassays and washing are provided. According to one embodiment, a method of providing a droplet in contact with a surface of a super paramagnetic bead with a reduced concentration of a substance is provided and includes: (a) providing a super paramagnetic bead in contact with a droplet comprising a starting concentration and starting quantity of the substance and having a starting volume; (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with the droplet provided in step (a) to yield a combined droplet; and (c) conducting one or more droplet operations to divide the combined droplet to yield a set of droplets. The set of droplets includes: (i) a droplet in contact with the super paramagnetic bead having a decreased concentration of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and (ii) a droplet which is separated from the super paramagnetic bead.
US08685750B2
High throughput screening is performed by directing an array tape (60) provided with a plurality of wells arranged in rows and columns into a dispensing well plate device (25) having various row and column actuators (40, 50). With the wells containing samples to be tested, activating select ones of row and column actuators (40, 50) of the dispensing well plate device (25), as well causing relative shifting between the actuators (40, 50) and the array tape (60), enables fluid to be dispensed from one or more nozzles of the dispensing well plate device (25) into predetermined ones of the plurality of wells in a wide range of patterns.
US08685749B2
Methods and systems for processing samples fixed to a porous substrate generally comprising, a compressor defining one or more fluid isolation areas, a support, for the porous substrate, having an opening corresponding to one or more of the fluid isolation areas of the compressor, an actuator that causes at least a portion of the compressor to press against the porous substrate, a fluid inlet having access to the fluid isolation area at least when the compressor is pressed against the porous substrate, and a fluid outlet to receive fluid, through the opening in the support corresponding to the fluid isolation area of the compressor, at least when the compressor is pressed against the porous substrate.
US08685746B2
A system and method for preparing and analyzing samples. The system can include a sample preparation system and a sample detection system coupled to the sample preparation system. The sample preparation system can include a deformable self-supporting receptacle comprising a reservoir adapted to contain a liquid composition comprising a source and a diluent. The sample detection system can be positioned in fluid communication with the reservoir, and can be adapted to analyze a sample of the liquid composition for an analyte of interest. The system can further include a fluid path defined at least partially by the reservoir and the sample detection system. The method can include applying pressure to the deformable self-supporting receptacle to move a sample of the liquid composition in the fluid path to the sample detection system, and analyzing the sample for the analyte of interest with the sample detection system.
US08685745B2
A multilayered optical sensing patch, for the measurement of conditions, such as pH, oxygen level, etc, within containers, is provided. The multilayered optical sensing patch of the present invention is comprised of a heat sealable polymer substrate layer, and a polymeric sensing membrane later attached thereto. The polymer sensing membrane layer is formed of a porous polymer support membrane, and an optical sensing composition (comprising a reactive indicator) covalently bonded thereto. The heat sealable polymer substrate layer is capable of being securely bonded to the inner layer of bioreactor bags, as well as the porous polymer support substrate layer. Further, the porous polymer support membrane layer provides a firm supporting structure for the polymeric sensing layer, thereby protecting the optical sensing composition disposed therein from degradation/damage.
US08685737B2
Provided herein are methods of integrating one or more exogenous nucleic acids into one or more selected target sites of a host cell genome. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise contacting the host cell genome with one or more integration polynucleotides comprising an exogenous nucleic acid to be integrated into a genomic target site, and a nuclease capable of causing a double-strand break near or within the genomic target site.
US08685728B2
The present invention relates to a composition and methods of treatment for inflammation comprising of adult stem cells and inflammatory cytokines. The invention further relates to the treatment of inflammation associated with autoimmune disorders, allergies, sepsis, cancer as well as to preventing, reducing or treating transplant rejection and/or graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).
US08685724B2
A method is provided for use with extracted blood, including (a) applying blood to a first gradient suitable for selecting first-pass cells having a density less than 1.077 g/ml; (b) applying the first-pass cells to a second gradient suitable for selecting second-pass cells having a density between 1.055 and 1.074 g/ml; (c) increasing the number of cells having a density between 1.055 and 1.074 g/ml, by culturing the second-pass cells for a period lasting between 3 and 30 days; and (d) identifying endothelial progenitor cells in the cultured cells. Other embodiments are also described.
US08685718B2
Vaccines against prion disease eliciting a humoral immune response when administered mucosally are described. The vaccines comprise a prion protein, a prion protein fragment, or a non-amyloidogenic prion protein homolog and an adjuvant suitable for inducing a humoral immune response after mucosal administration. Suitable adjuvants include cholera toxin subunit B, heat-labile enterotoxin and aluminum hydroxide. Alternatively, the vaccine comprises a vector encoding a prion protein, fragment, or homolog in an attenuated Salmonella host. The vaccines can be used to prevent or treat prion disease in humans and other mammals.
US08685704B2
The invention relates to an isolated genetically modified microorganism in which the gene IDH1 and at least one of the genes SDH2 and DIC1 are under the control of a first promoter that is repressed to a growth culture medium by means of a cultivation additive and is active in the absence of the cultivation additive. The genes that are part of the group comprising “PYC1, ACS1, CIT1, ACO1, ICL1, MSL1, and CIT2, optionally also MDH3” are constitutively active. The invention further relates to uses of such a microorganism, especially for producing succinic acid.
US08685701B2
Provided are a recombinant Ralstonia eutropha capable of producing polylactate or a hydroxyalkanoate-lactate copolymer, and a method of preparing polylactate or a hydroxyalkanoate-lactate copolymer using the same. The recombinant Ralstonia eutropha, which is prepared by introducing a gene of an enzyme converting lactate into lactyl-CoA and a gene of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase using lactyl-CoA as a substrate thereto, may be cultured, thereby efficiently preparing a lactate polymer and a lactate copolymer.
US08685699B2
An oil generation system is provided. The oil generation system includes a saccharide; and a working microorganism reacting with the saccharide to produce an oil, wherein the working microorganism has a genus being a Cystofilobasidium.
US08685691B2
Disclosed is an efficient method for production of aminopeptidase. The method comprises either transforming host bacteria with an aminopeptidase gene and with a neutral protease gene, or transforming some part of host bacteria with an aminopeptidase gene while transforming the other part of the host bacteria with a neutral protease gene, culturing in a medium the hose bacteria transformed with the aminopeptidase gene and with the neutral protease gene, or culturing a mixture of the host bacteria transformed with the aminopeptidase gene and the host bacteria transformed with the neutral protease gene, to let both the aminopeptidase and the neutral protease be expressed, and collecting the aminopeptidase thus produced from the culture mixture.
US08685686B2
In the present invention, integrated processes for producing a biofuel are disclosed. Specifically, processes integrating photobioreactors with anaerobic digestion are disclosed. Anaerobic digestion can convert biomass into a biofuel. However, anaerobic digestion also produces carbon dioxide (CO2). Because it is a greenhouse gas, the production of carbon dioxide is not desirable. Algae can be grown in a photobioreactor as long as light, carbon dioxide, and water are provided. In the present invention, the anaerobic digestion process is integrated with the photobioreactor process thereby providing a useful solution for the carbon dioxide that is generated and providing a source of carbon dioxide for the photobioreactor.
US08685685B2
This invention provides processes and apparatus to convert biomass, including wood and agricultural residues, into low-ash biomass pellets for combustion, alone or in combination with another solid fuel. Some embodiments provide processes for producing hemicellulosic sugars and low-ash biomass from cellulosic biomass, comprising providing an aqueous extraction solution with acetic acid; extracting the feedstock to produce an extract liquor containing soluble ash, hemicellulosic oligomers, acetic acid, dissolved lignin, and cellulose-rich solids; dewatering and drying the cellulose-rich, lignin-rich solids to produce a low-ash biomass; hydrolyzing the hemicellulosic oligomers to produce fermentable hemicellulosic sugars, wherein additional acetic acid is generated; removing a vapor stream comprising vaporized acetic acid from the extract; recycling the vapor or its condensate to provide some starting acetic acid for the extraction solution; and recovering fermentable hemicellulosic sugars. The disclosed processes can produce clean power from biomass. Co-products include fermentation products such as ethanol, fertilizers, and lignin.
US08685681B2
Acyltransferases are provided, suitable for use in the manufacture of microbial oils enriched in omega fatty acids in oleaginous yeast (e.g., Yarrowia lipolytica). Specifically, genes encoding diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1) have been isolated from Y. lipolytica and Mortierella alpina. These genes encode enzymes that participate in the terminal step in oil biosynthesis in yeast. Each is expected to play a key role in altering the quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids produced in oils of oleaginous yeasts.
US08685679B2
Methods to increase the percent of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) within the total lipids and oils of PUFA-producing oleaginous organisms are provided herein, by regulating the activity of specific acyltransferases. Specifically, since oil biosynthesis is expected to compete with polyunsaturation during oleaginy, it is possible to reduce or inactivate the activity of an organism's DAG ATs (e.g., phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) and/or diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) and/or diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2)) to thereby reduce the overall rate of oil biosynthesis while concomitantly increasing the percent of PUFAs that are incorporated into the lipid and oil fractions. The teachings herein will thereby enable one to engineer a wide variety of oleaginous organisms to produce oils with very specific fatty acid compositions.
US08685676B2
The present invention provides compositions and improved methods for multi-site directed mutagenesis and DNA shuffling. The present compositions and methods provide increased mutation frequency and increased number of transformants which allow one to sequence only a few clones in order to identify the correct mutants and to obtain the desired mutant by screening large number of transformants in a short time. Moreover, the inclusion of FEN-1, PEF and optimized buffer and cycling conditions provided in the present invention should also facilitate random mutagenized library construction and the mutagenesis of large or difficult templates.
US08685659B2
The present invention is based on the discovery that three proteins, Cystatin B, Chaperonin 10, and Profilin are present in the urine of patients with bladder cancer, a cancer of epithelial origin. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to methods for prognostic evaluation of cancers of epithelial origin and to methods for facilitating diagnosis of cancers of epithelial origin by monitoring the presence of these markers in biological samples. The invention is also directed to markers for therapeutic efficacy.
US08685658B2
Compositions and methods are provided for identifying agents which have efficacy for the treatment of disorders related to aberrant cilial structure and function, including polycystic kidney disease.
US08685645B2
According to one embodiment, a method of screening an enhancer and/or a promoter, includes culturing a host cell into which an amplifiable vector is introduced, extracting the vector from the host cell and obtaining the DNA fragment from the extracted vector, wherein the vector includes a DNA fragment to be determined, a gene that is functionally linked downstream of the DNA fragment and encodes a protein to initiate self-replication, and a gene that encodes a replication origin sequence.
US08685642B2
Methods and systems for allelic detection and allele-specific copy number are provided herein. The described methods use identification of single nucleotide polymorphism using restriction enzymes and CGH analysis. Microarrays comprising probes designed by the described methods are provided. Also included are methods for identifying SNP sites and copy number in samples obtained from patient populations.
US08685630B2
Methods of forming a pattern in a material and methods of forming openings in a material to be patterned are disclosed, such as a method that includes exposing first portions of a first material to radiation through at least two apertures of a mask arranged over the first material, shifting the mask so that the at least two apertures overlap a portion of the first portions of the first material, and exposing second portions of the first material to radiation through the at least two apertures. The first portions and the second portions will overlap in such a way that non-exposed portions of the first material are arranged between the first portions and second portions. The non-exposed or exposed portions of the first material may then be removed. The remaining first material may be used as a photoresist mask to form vias in an integrated circuit. The pattern of vias produced have the capability to exceed the current imaging resolution of a single exposure treatment.
US08685616B2
The present invention provides photoacid generators for use in chemically amplified resists and lithographic processes using the same.
US08685613B2
A method of producing an electrostatic latent image developing toner that includes the steps of producing a resin particle dispersion by polymerizing, in a water-based solvent, a polymerizable monomer that includes a polymerizable monomer having a vinyl-based double bond, and washing the resin particle dispersion through contact with an organic solvent, wherein the washed resin particle dispersion, a colorant particle dispersion produced by dispersing a colorant, and a release agent particle dispersion produced by dispersing a release agent are mixed together, and following formation of aggregate particles by aggregation of the resin particles, the colorant particles and the release agent particles, heating is conducted to fuse the aggregate particles and produce the electrostatic latent image developing toner.
US08685612B2
A continuous emulsion aggregation process for the production of particles is presented including a plurality of continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR). The plurality of continuous stirred-tank reactors includes a first reactor and a second reactor for facilitating an aggregation process; a third reactor for facilitating a shell addition process; a fourth reactor for facilitating a freeze process; a fifth reactor for facilitating a chelating process; a sixth reactor for facilitating a ramp-up process; and a seventh reactor for facilitating a coalescence process. The reactors are sequentially assembled in a series configuration, each of the reactors cooperating with an overhead stirrer. In other embodiments, a CSTR system of the present disclosure possesses five reactors sequentially assembled in a series configuration to form toner particles.
US08685610B2
A printing method comprising: forming a first image utilizing a liquid toner comprising carrier liquid and pigmented polymer particles having a first color; transferring the first image to an intermediate transfer member; forming at least one additional image utilizing a liquid toner comprising at least one carrier liquid and pigmented polymer particles having a second color, different from the first color; transferring the at least one additional image to the intermediate transfer member overlaid on the first image, to form a composite image on the intermediate transfer member; and further transferring the composite image to a further substrate, wherein said polymer particles in said first liquid toner and in at least one of said additional liquid toners have different compositions, aside from colorants, the differences in composition including at least one of different polymers or blends of polymers, different amounts or types of placticizers, different amounts of solvated liquid and different compositions of solvated liquid.
US08685608B2
A two-component developer includes: a toner; a carrier having a surface energy of from about 23 dyne/cm to about 37 dyne/cm; and an external additive having a shape factor SF1 of from about 130 to about 150 and a number-average particle diameter of from about 80 nm to about 1 μm; and an existence ratio A of the external additive on a surface of the toner and an existence ratio B of the external additive on a surface of the carrier satisfying the relationship of the following Expression 1: 0.04≦B/A≦0.4.
US08685598B2
Disclosed is a pellicle having a mask adhesive layer having appropriate softness, having a small adhesive residue after being peeled off from a mask, and having good handling characteristics; and a pellicle for preventing position deviation of patterns, in particular in double patterning. The pellicle of the present invention includes a pellicle frame, a pellicle membrane disposed on one end surface of the pellicle frame, and a mask adhesive layer disposed on other end surface of the pellicle frame; wherein the mask adhesive layer includes 35 to 170 weight parts of a hardness adjuster (B) containing a polypropylene (b1) and a propylene based elastomer (b2) per 100 weight parts of a styrene resin (A); and in an electron microscopic photograph of the mask adhesive layer, a phase-separated structure of a continuous phase of the styrene resin (A) and a discontinuous phase of the hardness adjuster (B) is observed.
US08685594B2
A cathode catalyst for a fuel cell includes a carrier, and an active material including M selected from the group consisting of Ru, Pt, Rh, and combinations thereof, and Ch selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, and combinations thereof, with the proviso that the active material is not RuSe when the carrier is C.
US08685589B2
A fuel cell and method for manufacturing the fuel cell are described herein. Basically, the fuel cell is formed from an electrode/electrolyte structure including an array of anode electrodes and cathode electrodes disposed on opposing sides of an electrolyte sheet, the anode and cathode electrodes being electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination thereof by electrical conductors that traverse via holes in the electrolyte sheet. Several different embodiments of electrical conductors which have a specific composition and/or a specific geometry are described herein.
US08685585B2
In a planar-array cell structure, an area required by interconnectors is reduced and a fuel cell is made further compact. A connection part which connects adjacent cells in series is provided within a sealing member provided in a peripheral edge part of an electrolyte membrane where multiple cells are formed in a planar arrangement. For each cell, an anode terminal of a current collector is disposed counter to a cathode terminal of the current collector via the electrolyte membrane. The connection part penetrates the electrolyte membrane and connects the anode terminal of one of the adjacent cells to the cathode terminal of the other of the adjacent cells.
US08685574B2
A component for use in assembling a membrane electrode assembly comprises a microporous layer supported on a transfer substrate, wherein the microporous layer comprises carbon particles and a hydrophobic polymer, and a polymer layer is present on the microporous layer. A process for preparing a component for use in assembling a membrane electrode assembly includes forming the microporous layer on the transfer substrate and applying a polymer layer on the microporous layer. The microporous layer may also be deposited onto a gas diffusion substrate for use in the membrane electrode assembly.
US08685573B2
Provided is a lithium ion rechargeable battery less suffering from swelling even when stored at high temperatures. Disclosed are a cathode active material, a cathode for a lithium ion rechargeable battery using the cathode active material, and a lithium ion rechargeable battery using the cathode. The cathode active material includes particles, each of the particles including a cathode material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium ions, and a film formed on at least part of surfaces of the particles. The film includes a compound represented by Chemical Formula (1). Examples of the compound represented by Chemical Formula (1) include lithium squarate and dilithium squarate. Preferably, the lithium ion rechargeable battery is a prismatic battery.
US08685571B2
A separator of a molten salt battery made of a porous resin sheet. The separator is improved in wettability to a molten salt by giving hydrophilicity to the resin sheet. In the case of a fluororesin sheet, the sheet is impregnated with water, and irradiated with ultraviolet rays so that C—F bonds in the fluororesin are cleaved and the resultant reacts with water to generate hydrophilic groups, such as OH groups, in each surface layer thereof. The separator gains hydrophilicity through the hydrophilic groups. The separator made of the resin can be made into a bag form. In a molten salt battery having the bag-form separator, the growth of a dendrite is prevented.
US08685556B2
An electricity storage module according to the present invention includes: a battery case that includes a cooling medium intake port, a cooling medium outlet port, and a cooling flow passage through which a plurality of battery cells housed therein in a parallel array pattern are cooled; and a duct detachably mounted at the cooling medium intake port of the battery case.
US08685544B2
A coating and associated method for coating is disclosed. The coating provides a hard, transparent, UV blocking coating for a substrate. A UV blocking layer is first deposited upon the substrate, and a hard coating is deposited above the UV blocking layer. A soft coating layer may be deposited between the UV blocking layer and the hard coating. The soft and hard coating layers may both have the general composition SiOxCy. the soft and hard coating layers may be deposited by a plasma vapor deposition process.
US08685530B2
Provided is a surface-coated cutting tool combining superior heat resistance, superior wear resistance, and superior lubricity. A surface-coated cutting tool of the present invention includes a substrate and a coating formed on the substrate, and the coating is characterized in that the coating is formed by physical vapor deposition and includes one or more layers, that at least one of the one or more layers is a first coating layer, and that the first coating layer contains aluminum and nitrogen, has a thermal effusivity of 2,000 to 5,000 J·sec−1/2·m−2·K−1, has a thickness of 0.2 to 5 μm, and has a crystal structure including a hexagonal structure.
US08685519B2
Processes for the production of high strength polyethylene tape articles from high strength ultra-high molecular weight multi-filament yarns, and to the tape articles, fabrics, laminates and impact resistant materials made therefrom.
US08685516B2
A cut-to-fit universal vehicle floor mat has arrays of peripheral cells separated from each other and from a central area of the mat body by indented trim lines. The arrays of cells can include an array for a transmission tunnel bulge.
US08685508B2
A plastics pipe which comprises an inner core and an outer removable skin layer bonded thereto, the outer removable skin layer comprising a polymeric material, chosen for its physical and mechanical properties, and an adhesion-modifying additive, the adhesion-modifying additive being present in the skin layer in an amount such that the adhesion of the skin layer to the inner core is sufficient to prevent substantial undesired relative movement between the skin layer and the core during installation, but insufficient to prevent the outer skin layer from being cleanly removed by peeling, at least at the ends of the pipe, and insufficient to cause a substantial reduction in the impact strength of the inner core.
US08685499B2
Coating of flexible materials with liquid compositions is disclosed. The compositions advantageously comprise one or more polyorganosiloxanes crosslinkable by polyaddition, by dehydrocondensation, by polycondensation, cationically or free-radically to form a protective coating or film having, in particular, release and/or water-repellency properties.
US08685488B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing a micropattern on a substrate (22), in which a substrate (22) is provided with a relief pattern (26, 28) that exhibits elevations (26) and depressions (28), and in which the elevations (26) and/or depressions (26) are arranged in the form of the desired micropattern, and with a printing tool, an imprint material (30; 34) is transferred to the relief pattern (26, 28), the viscosity of the imprint material (30; 34) being chosen such that the imprint material (30; 34) is selectively transferred either substantially only onto the elevations (26) or substantially only into the depressions (28) of the relief pattern.
US08685480B2
An apparatus for making food chips, comprises a source of heat, and a conveyer belt arranged such that, when in use, food chips are held between the belt and the heat source at least a part of the path of the belt, and wherein the belt is steam permeable. Also, a method for making food chips comprising feeding sliced mono layered food between a steam permeable conveyer belt and a heat source and guiding steam from the food through the steam permeable belt.
US08685473B2
There is provided a process for making a composition suitable for topical application comprising the steps of a) heating at least one fruit and/or vegetable pulp to up to a temperature in the range of about 40° C. to 100° C.; b) mixing between 1 and 40% w/w of a mild base with the heated fruit and/or vegetable pulp. There is also provided a fruit and/or vegetable derived composition suitable for topical application prepared by the above process. There is further provided a fruit and/or vegetable derived composition comprising at least one fruit and/or vegetable derived pulp and a mild base, said composition having a pH in the range of about 7.5 to about 9.5.
US08685468B2
Disclosed herein are surgical adjuvant compositions for ameliorating tissue and cellular necrosis and/or apoptosis. In addition, surgical methods are described which include the use of the adjuvant of the composition to reduce tissue and cellular necrosis and/or apoptosis.
US08685463B2
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for preparing, storing, shipping and using skin equivalents made by organotypic culture. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for producing, transporting, storing and using skin equivalents produced by organotypic culture at reduced temperatures, preferably from 2-8 degrees Celsius to ambient temperature. The methods include sterile packaging of the grafts so that the sterility and integrity of the package is maintained until the time of use for grafting purposes.
US08685459B2
The present invention, inter alia, relates to a closed sterilized container comprising at least one carrier which is a stabilizer; and at least one biomolecule reversibly attached to the carrier, wherein said carrier partially or completely covers the attached biomolecules and wherein said at least one carrier is selected from the group consisting of (poly)peptides such as dipeptides or tripeptides, amino acids, polyalcohols, polyethyleneglycols, ionic liquids, compatible solutes, saponins and a mixture thereof. The invention also relates to methods for producing sterilized containers according to the invention and uses thereof.
US08685438B2
Disclosed here are methods, compositions, and kits which are useful for weight management benefits in the mammal. Each of the methods, compositions, and kits utilize an added boron source.
US08685435B2
Biodegradable implants sized and suitable for implantation in an ocular region or site and methods for treating ocular conditions. The implants provide an extended release of an active agent at a therapeutically effective amount for a period of time between 50 days and one year, or longer.
US08685431B2
Coatings for an implantable medical device and a method of fabricating thereof are disclosed, and the coatings comprise biologically absorbable poly(ester amides).
US08685430B1
A aliphatic polyester polymer for stent coating is described.
US08685423B2
The invention disclosed in this document concerns controlling mealybugs.
US08685418B2
The present application provides novel compounds and methods for preparing and using these compounds. These compounds are useful in treating pain, itch, overactive bladder and/or interstitial cystitis in patients by administering one or more of the compounds to a patient. The methods include administering a compound of formula (I) and a TRPV1 receptor activator. In one embodiment, the TRPV1 receptor activator is lidocaine.
US08685417B2
Encapsulation of and binding to pegylated bioactive molecules via functionalized comb, block, branched type polymers formed by nitroxide mediated controlled radical polymerization is disclosed.
US08685411B2
The present invention relates to novel recombinant polypeptide antigens that may comprise subunit vaccines against rotavirus infection. Further, the present invention relates to methods for use of said antigens in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of rotavirus infection.
US08685409B2
There is provided a T cell-based universal influenza vaccine including internal genes capable of preparing against infection by broad hetero-subtypic influenza viruses, and thereby preparing for unpredictable epidemic influenza. The present invention selected internal genes of the consensus sequence obtained from bird, pig, and human influenza isolates in order to develop the T cell-based universal flu vaccine. The T cell-based universal flu vaccine according to the present invention is characterized by including at least one CTL epitope, by containing a plurality of internal genes and using the entire sequence of the internal gene itself. The T cell-based universal flu vaccine can achieve broad defense in infection with hetero-subtypic influenza viruses.
US08685408B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a) a B subunit of Shiga toxin or a functional equivalent thereof which is able to bind the Gb3 receptor, complexed with an antigen and b) at least one ligand of CDI capable of stimulating NK T cells; and to a pharmaceutical composition and a medicament comprising said composition.
US08685390B2
The invention is directed to substantially purified amnion-derived cell populations, compositions comprising the substantially purified amnion-derived cell populations, and to methods of creating such substantially purified amnion-derived cell populations, as well as methods of use. The invention is further directed to antibodies, in particular, monoclonal antibodies, that bind to amnion-derived cells or, alternatively, to one or more amnion-derived cell surface protein markers. The invention is further directed to methods for producing the antibodies, methods for using the antibodies, and kits comprising the antibodies.
US08685386B2
Aspects of the present invention include methods and compositions related to the production, identification and use of embryonic progenitor cell lines that are capable of undergoing chondrogenesis. A number of exemplary chondrogenic cell lines derived from primordial stem cells are disclosed. The chondrogenic cell lines described herein are robust, can expand for >40 passages, and have site-specific purity, thus providing for compositions and methods of producing diverse cartilage types with unique molecular compositions for use in research and therapy.
US08685384B2
The present invention relates to methods for purifying immunogenic, prophylactically and therapeutically effective complexes of modified heat shock proteins noncovalently associated with antigenic peptides of cancer or infected cells. The claimed methods comprise the constructing of a nucleotide sequence encoding a secretable modified heat shock protein, expressing the sequence in an appropriate host cell, recovering the immunogenic complexes from the cell culture and the cells, and purifying the immunogenic complexes by affinity chromatography. Large amounts of such immunogenic complexes can be obtained by large-scale culturing of host cells containing the genetic sequence. The complexes can be used as a vaccine to elicit specific immune responses against cancer or infected cells, and to treat or prevent cancer or infectious diseases.
US08685383B2
A drug conjugate is provided herein. The conjugate comprises a protein based recognition-molecule (PBRM) and a polymeric carrier substituted with one or more -LD-D, the protein based recognition-molecule being connected to the polymeric carrier by LP. Each occurrence of D is independently a therapeutic agent having a molecular weight ≦5 kDa. LD and LP are linkers connecting the therapeutic agent and PBRM to the polymeric carrier respectively. Also disclosed are polymeric scaffolds useful for conjugating with a PBRM to form a polymer-drug-PBRM conjugate described herein, compositions comprising the conjugates, methods of their preparation, and methods of treating various disorders with the conjugates or their compositions.
