Patents Examined by Nam Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8873295
    Abstract: An operation method of a memory includes the following steps: determining the number of memory units required to update the content stored therein when the memory is performing a program operation based on the N-bit input data and accordingly generate a first determination result; and providing (N?M) number of loads to a source line decoder of the memory if the first determination result indicates that there are M number of memory units required to update the content stored therein, and thereby coupling the (N?M) number of the provided loads to a transmission path of a power supply voltage in parallel, wherein N and M are natural numbers. A memory is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shi-Wen Chen, Chi-Chang Shuai, Chung-Cheng Tsai, Ya-Nan Mou
  • Patent number: 8871097
    Abstract: A method of reclaiming a formate brine may include increasing the pH of a spent formate brine fluid comprising water-soluble polymers; treating the fluid with an oxidizing agent; and removing at least a portion of suspended solids from the fluid. Further, a method of reclaiming a formate brine may include lowering the pH of the spent formate brine fluid comprising water-soluble polymers; increasing the pH of the spent formate brine fluid to initiate precipitation of materials solubilized in the fluid; treating the fluid with an oxidizing agent to break down remaining water-soluble polymer; and recovering at least a portion of the formate brine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Hui Zhang, Robert L. Horton, Charles Svoboda, Frank E. Evans
  • Patent number: 8869991
    Abstract: A filter assembly that includes a filter body defining a mouth, a filter element disposed in the filter body, and a seal disposed on the mouth. The seal has a seal body defining a center axis. The seal body has an axial surface perpendicular to the center axis and an outer annular surface revolved about the center axis. A portion of the outer annular surface defines at least one of an arcuate and a substantially frustoconical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Wix Filtration Corp LLC
    Inventor: Darrell T. McKenzie
  • Patent number: 8869992
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and material for using a sorbent material to capture and stabilize mercury. The method for using sorbent material to capture and stabilize mercury contains the following steps. First, the sorbent material is provided. The sorbent material, in one embodiment, is nano-particles. In a preferred embodiment, the nano-particles are unstabilized nano-Se. Next, the sorbent material is exposed to mercury in an environment. As a result, the sorbent material captures and stabilizes mercury from the environment. In the preferred embodiment, the environment is an indoor space in which a fluorescent has broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Brown University
    Inventors: Robert H. Hurt, Steven P. Hamburg, Love Sarin, Indrek Kulaots
  • Patent number: 8865002
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a system and method for processing fluid captured from a vehicle surface to provide a desired fluid product. The system includes sensors and control circuitry to determine system fluid volume levels and/or the ambient temperature of the system to safeguard the system against non-requested activation or deactivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brimtech, LLC
    Inventors: James K Weigle, Ben A Hammock, II, Robert Tupper
  • Patent number: 8867272
    Abstract: A method of accessing a non-volatile memory is disclosed. Original bits of data are duplicated on a bit level to generate a plurality of duplicated bits corresponding to each original bit. At least one shielding bit is provided between the duplicated bits corresponding to different original bits. The duplicated bits and the at least one shielding bit are programmed to the non-volatile memory. The original bits are generated or determined according to the duplicated bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Skymedi Corporation
    Inventors: Yi Chun Liu, Chung-hsun Lee, Ming Hung Chou
  • Patent number: 8854900
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory with multiple memory dice manages simultaneous operations so as to not exceed a system power capacity. A load signal bus is pulled up with a strength proportional to the system power capacity. Each die has a driver to pull down the bus by an amount corresponding to its degree of power need as estimated by a state machine of the die. The bus therefore provides a load signal that serves as arbitration between the system power capacity and the cumulative loads of the individual dice. The load signal is therefore at a high state when the system power capacity is not exceeded; otherwise it is at a low state. When a die wishes to perform an operation and requests a certain amount of power, it drives the bus accordingly and its state machine either proceeds with the operation or not, depending on the load signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dana Lee, Yi-Chieh Chen, Farookh Moogat
  • Patent number: 8851296
    Abstract: This invention relates to a blood processing filter including a band-shaped first seal part that seals an inlet-side flexible container of the blood processing filter and a filter element of the blood processing filter so as to surround an inlet port, and an annular second seal part that seals at least the inlet-side flexible container and an outlet-side flexible container and is formed surrounding the first seal part at a position that is closer to an outer edge than the first seal part. A valley part corresponding to the first seal part is provided on an outlet side of the filter element. An outlet opening that communicates with an inside of the outlet-side flexible container is formed in the outlet port. At least one portion of the outlet opening is arranged so as to overlap with the valley part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Yokomizo, Morikazu Miura
  • Patent number: 8852434
    Abstract: A filter element (2) for use in a disc filter (1), wherein a plurality of filter elements (2) are arranged on a rotor shaft (3) in a manner allowing liquid communication between the inside (4) of the filter elements (2) and the inside (5) of the rotor shaft (3), for the filtering of liquids. The filter element (2) includes a framework (6) carrying a filter cloth (7) on both its side surfaces (8), wherein the framework (6) and the filter cloth (7) are permanently joined forming a single use filter element (2) and the filter element has at least one passage (21) in each edge (22) for liquid communication between the inside (4) of adjacent filter elements. A disc filter (1) including a single use filter element (2) is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Nordic Water Products AB
    Inventors: Hans F. Larsson, Kjell Gustafsson
  • Patent number: 8854880
    Abstract: Inter-cell interference cancellation is provided for flash memory devices. Data from a flash memory device is processed by obtaining one or more quantized threshold voltage values for at least one target cell of the flash memory device; obtaining one or more hard decision read values for at least one aggressor cell of the target cell; determining an aggressor state of the at least one aggressor cell; determining an interference amount based on the aggressor state; determining an adjustment to the quantized threshold voltage values based on the determined interference amount; and adjusting the quantized threshold voltage values based on the determined adjustment. The quantized threshold voltage values for at least one target cell are optionally re-used from a previous soft read retry operation. The adjusted quantized threshold voltage values are optionally used to determine reliability values and are optionally applied to a soft decision decoder and/or a buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Zhengang Chen, Erich F. Haratsch
  • Patent number: 8845898
    Abstract: An auxiliary power unit includes a gearbox housing portion and a filter housing portion providing an integral housing. A filter cavity is provided in the filter housing portion. A surface circumscribes the filter cavity. A scupper includes a passage extending from the surface to an opening on an exterior surface of the integral housing. A sealing region between the scupper and the filter cavity is configured to fluidly isolate the scupper and the fuel filter cavity from one another. In one example, the filter cavity receives a fuel filter cartridge. A cap is secured to the filter housing portion and encloses the filter cavity when in a secured position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Brian C. DeDe, Michael J. Rollins, Melissa A. Bell, David Lau
  • Patent number: 8848419
    Abstract: A digital memory element has a sense circuit latch to read the value stored in a bit cell. Before addressing a word line, the bit lines are precharged. During the read operation, a bit line is coupled to a supply voltage through a bit cell memory element that has different resistances at logic states “0” and “1.” A reference bit line is coupled to the supply voltage through a comparison resistance value, especially a resistance between high and low resistance of the memory element in the two logic states. Voltages on the bit line and reference bit line ramp toward a switching threshold at rates related to the resistance values. The first line to discharge to switching threshold voltage sets the sense circuit latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jui-Jen Wu, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Patent number: 8845888
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a water treatment system includes: a membrane separation device and a water softening device including a valve unit switching between a softening process in which soft water is obtained by passing raw water through a cation exchange resin bed downward and a regeneration process in which a whole of the cation exchange resin bed is regenerated by generating an opposite flow of a regenerant by supplying the regenerant from both sides of a top portion and a bottom portion of the cation exchange resin bed and collecting a liquid at an intermediate portion of the cation exchange resin bed, and a regenerant supply supplying the regenerant in a volume which gives a regeneration level of 1 to 6 eq/L-R, to a hardness leakage prevention region set in a predetermined depth on the bottom portion of the cation exchange resin bed, in the regeneration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Manabe, Hayato Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8848465
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device is provided, which includes a memory core including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, a first read circuit that reads a first codeword from the memory core during a Read While Write (RWW) operation, a second read circuit that reads a second codeword from the memory core during a Read Modification Write (RMW) operation, and a common decoder that is shared by the first read circuit and the second read circuit and selectively decodes the first codeword or the second codeword.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seo-Hee Kim, Seong-Hyun Jeon, Hoi-Ju Chung, Sung-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8845887
    Abstract: A water purifier determining an appropriate discarded water quantity includes: a purified water supply; an integrated flow quantity measuring part; and a control and calculation part. The control and calculation part is configured to determine whether purified water is unsuitable for use based upon the integrated flow quantity measured for a period of time from when the supply is started. A value of water quantity Qti at the Nth time is determined based on a length of time from when the purified water supply stops the supply at the (N?1)th time up to when the purified water supply starts the supply at the the Nth time; and a difference between a quantity of water measured for a period of time from when the supply at the (N?1)th time is started to when the supply at the (N?1)th time is stopped and a value of Qti at the (N?1)th time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Morisue
  • Patent number: 8848421
    Abstract: A forming method of a variable resistance nonvolatile memory element capable of lowering a forming voltage and preventing variations of the forming voltage depending on variable resistance elements. The forming method is for initializing a variable resistance element, including a step (S24) of determining whether or not a current flowing in a 1T1R memory cell is greater than a reference current; a step (S22) of applying a forming positive voltage pulse having a pulse width (Tp(n)) is gradually increased when it is determined that the current is not greater than the reference current; and a step (S23) of applying a negative voltage pulse having a pulse width Tn equal to or shorter than a pulse width Tp(n). The determining step (S24), the application step (S22), and the application step (S23) are repeated until the forming becomes successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ken Kawai, Kazuhiko Shimakawa, Koji Katayama
  • Patent number: 8837242
    Abstract: A method includes selecting a word line included in one of a plurality of memory mats based on a row address, where each of the plurality of memory mats includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, and a redundant bit line, selecting one of the bit lines included in the selected memory mat based on a column address, selecting, by a column relief circuit, the redundant bit line in place of the one of the bit lines to be selected based on the column address, in response to the column address indicating a defective address, activating the column relief circuit when the row address is supplied in response to a first command, and inactivating the column relief circuit when the row address is supplied in response to a second command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Yoshio Mizukane, Hiromasa Noda
  • Patent number: 8834725
    Abstract: A process for treating acid mine drainage containing heavy metals and soluble contaminants is provided. In one embodiment, at least a metal cation is added to the acid mine drainage at a pre-select pH to form insoluble heavy metal complexes. In one embodiment, the metal cation is a trivalent metal ion, e.g., ferric iron such as in ferric sulfate. In another embodiment, a divalent metal ion such as in ferrous sulfate is used. After the removal of the heavy metal complexes, the effluent water is treated with at least a phosphate additive to remove remaining soluble contaminants, thus producing a treated water stream with reduced levels of contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Shankar Bhaduri, Alexander Kuperman, Michael Dubrovsky
  • Patent number: 8834712
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a seawater desalination system includes a membrane filtering pump, a first to third flowmeter, a filtering membrane, a high-pressure pump, a pressure gauge, a reverse osmosis membrane, a discharge valve and a control module. The membrane filtering pump outputs seawater according to a first control signal. The first flowmeter measures flow rate Q1. The high-pressure pump outputs filtered water from the filtering membrane according to a second control signal. The first pressure gauge measures pressure P1. The reverse osmosis membrane desalinates the filtered water into fresh water. The second flowmeter measures flow rate Q2. The third flowmeter measures flow rate Q3. The discharge valve discharges a high-concentration salt water according to a third control signal. The control module performs first, second, and third flow rate control with reference to the flow rate Q1, Q2 and Q3 and the pressure P1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kyosuke Katayama, Takeshi Matsushiro, Futoshi Kurokawa, Takanori Fukagawa, Kazuhiko Kimijima, Koichi Matsui
  • Patent number: 8828235
    Abstract: The method manipulates the chemical mechanism of the toxicity of arsenic in humans, which involves the binding of arsenic by thiols on proteins and peptides, to remove arsenic from water. PET vessels and/or acrylic resins are treated with thiols which in turn bind arsenic to remove arsenic from water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Monmouth University
    Inventor: Tsanangurayi Tongesayi