Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Fish and Richardson P.C.
  • Patent number: 8339046
    Abstract: A lighting control device of a lighting device for a vehicle includes a switching regulator for supplying a driving current to a semiconductor light source. The lighting control device also includes control means having a current detecting portion for detecting the driving current and serving to control dimming of the semiconductor light source in order to reduce a mean current of the driving current by repeating driving and stopping operations of the switching regulator at a high speed upon receipt of a dimming control signal. The current detecting portion has a current holding portion for holding the driving current, detected for a driving period of the switching regulator, for a stopping period after a passage of the driving period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masayasu Ito
  • Patent number: 8339767
    Abstract: A power capacitor is described herein. The power capacitor includes a housing and at least one capacitor winding. The power capacitor also includes at least one mechanical spring element between the housing and the at least one capacitor winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Wilhelm Grimm, Wilhelm Hübscher, Harald Vetter
  • Patent number: 8338865
    Abstract: By increasing an interval between electrodes which drives liquid crystals, a gradient of an electric field applied between the electrodes can be controlled and an optimal electric field can be applied between the electrodes. The invention includes a first electrode formed over a substrate, an insulating film formed over the substrate and the first electrode, a thin film transistor including a semiconductor film in which a source, a channel region, and a drain are formed over the insulating film, a second electrode located over the semiconductor film and the first electrode and including first opening patterns, and liquid crystals provided over the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 8338492
    Abstract: Described herein are compounds and processes that can be used to prepare polymer-based films, particles, gels and related compositions, and processes for delivery of agents, and other uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: The Trustees of the Boston University, The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.
    Inventors: Yolonda L. Colson, Solomon Azouz, Mark W. Grinstaff, Jesse Wolinsky, Aaron Griset
  • Patent number: 8339558
    Abstract: In a horizontal electric field drive type liquid crystal electro-optic device, a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a semiconductor film and a common electrode are formed on a glass substrate and a liquid crystal material is driven by controlling the strength of an electric field substantially parallel to the glass substrate. The electrodes and the semiconductor film are made curved, for example semi-circular or semi-elliptical, in sectional profile. These curved sectional profiles can be formed by suitably selecting and combining various patterning and etching methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Takeshi Nishi, Rumo Satake
  • Patent number: 8338841
    Abstract: A solid state light sheet and method of fabricating the sheet are disclosed. In one embodiment, bare LED chips have top and bottom electrodes, where the bottom electrode is a large reflective electrode. The bottom electrodes of an array of LEDs (e.g., 500 LEDs) are bonded to an array of electrodes formed on a flexible bottom substrate. Conductive traces are formed on the bottom substrate connected to the electrodes. A transparent top substrate is then formed over the bottom substrate. Various ways to connect the LEDs in series are described along with many embodiments. In one method, the top substrate contains a conductor pattern that connects to LED electrodes and conductors on the bottom substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Michael David Henry, Robert Steele, Brian D. Ogonowsky
  • Patent number: 8337270
    Abstract: Mechanical and electromechanical components for rapidly constructing a user-definable apparatus may include components that are reconfigurable into other construction set components, and that have at least one demarcation defining adjacent segments thereof. The demarcations facilitate reconfiguration of the components to produce other construction set components. Openings to substantially prevent sharp edges from being formed during reconfiguration may be included in the components. An electromechanical drive assembly having an integrated speed control and operable to receive interchangeable, non-circular drive shafts may be provided. The electromechanical drive assembly may be configured to attach to and self-align relative to other construction set components. One or more of the components may be provided with openings through which the non-circular drive shafts may rotate. The drive shaft may be locked in relation to openings of components that allow the drive shaft to rotate via a lock plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Innovation First, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Mimlitch, III, David Anthony Norman
  • Patent number: 8338840
    Abstract: A solid state light sheet and method of fabricating the sheet are disclosed. In one embodiment, bare LED chips have top and bottom electrodes, where the bottom electrode is a large reflective electrode. The bottom electrodes of an array of LEDs (e.g., 500 LEDs) are bonded to an array of electrodes formed on a flexible bottom substrate. Conductive traces are formed on the bottom substrate connected to the electrodes. A transparent top substrate is then formed over the bottom substrate. Various ways to connect the LEDs in series are described along with many embodiments. In one method, the top substrate contains a conductor pattern that connects to LED electrodes and conductors on the bottom substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Michael David Henry, Robert Steele, Brian D. Ogonowsky
  • Patent number: 8338199
    Abstract: A solid state light sheet and method of fabricating the sheet are disclosed. In one embodiment, bare blue-light LED chips have top and bottom electrodes, where the bottom electrode is a large reflective electrode. The bottom electrodes of an array of LEDs (e.g., 500 LEDs) are bonded to an array of electrodes formed on a flexible bottom substrate. Conductive traces are formed on the bottom substrate connected to the electrodes. In one embodiment, an intermediate sheet having holes is then affixed to the bottom substrate, with the LEDs passing through the holes. A transparent top substrate having conductors is then laminated over the intermediate sheet. In another embodiment, no intermediate sheet is used. Various ways to connect the LEDs in series are described along with many embodiments. The light sheet provides a practical substitute for a standard 2×4 foot fluorescent ceiling fixture. A phosphor is used to generate white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Michael David Henry, Robert Steele, Brian D. Ogonowsky
  • Patent number: 8338684
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems, methods, and apparatus for assessing a musical performance. The musical performance can include a user's performance of a musical instrument. MIDI or audio notes are input and compared to the notes of a music track. An indication is provided to assess the musical performance. The assessment can be on the basis of timing and/or pitch errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Pillhofer, Jan-Hinnerk Helms, Gerhard Lengeling, Alexander Soren, Alexander Harry Little, John Danty, Timothy B. Martin, Matt Evans, Ole Lagemann
  • Patent number: 8339836
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure in which stored data can be retained even when power is not supplied, and does not have a limitation on the number of times of writing operations. A semiconductor device includes a source-bit line, a first signal line, a second signal line, a word line, and a memory cell connected between the source-bit lines. The memory cell includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. The second transistor is formed including an oxide semiconductor material. A gate electrode of the first transistor, one of a source and drain electrodes, and one of electrodes of the capacitor are electrically connected to one another. The source-bit line and a source electrode of the first transistor are electrically connected to each other. Another source-bit line adjacent to the above source-bit line and a drain electrode of the first transistor are electrically connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kiyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 8338835
    Abstract: A display device in which not only a variation in a current value due to a threshold voltage but also a variation in a current value due to mobility are prevented from influencing luminance with respect to all the levels of grayscale to be displayed. After applying an initial potential for correction to a gate and a drain of a driving transistor, the gate and the drain of the driving transistor is kept connected in a floating state, and a voltage is held in a capacitor before a voltage between the gate and a source of the driving transistor becomes equal to a threshold voltage. When a voltage obtained by subtracting the voltage held in the capacitor from a voltage of a video signal is applied to the gate and the source of the driving transistor, a current is supplied to a light-emitting element. A value of an initial voltage for correction differs in accordance with the voltage of the video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Miyake
  • Patent number: 8340635
    Abstract: A server receives an application update request from a mobile device. The request can include a specification of the mobile device and a license. The server can identify an available hardware component of the mobile device based on the specification. The server can identify an access privilege of the hardware component based on the license. The server can further identify an application that utilizes the available hardware component of the mobile device and is accessible under the identified access privilege. The server can recommend the application in response to the application update request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Herz, Nitin Ganatra
  • Patent number: 8340694
    Abstract: Location information is received at a mobile device from the memory of a vehicle device. The mobile device is updated based on the location information. Sensor data is received from at least one sensor measuring movement of the mobile device, and an estimated location of the mobile device is calculated based at least in part on the location information and the sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Gregory N. Christie, Robert E. Borchers, Kevin Tiene
  • Patent number: 8338109
    Abstract: This document provides methods and materials related to assessing prostate cancer in mammals. For example, this document provides nucleic acids and polypeptides that can be analyzed to determine whether a male mammal having prostate cancer is susceptible to a good or poor outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
    Inventors: George Vasmatzis, John C. Cheville, Farhad Kosari, Cemile Dilara Savci Heijink, Jan-Marie Willard Munz, Eric W. Klee, Lori Tillmans
  • Patent number: 8339837
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a novel structure and a driving method thereof are provided. A semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory cell including a writing transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a reading p-channel transistor including a semiconductor material different from that of the writing transistor, and a capacitor. Data is written to the memory cell by turning on the writing transistor so that a potential is supplied to a node where a source electrode of the writing transistor, one electrode of the capacitor, and a gate electrode of the reading transistor are electrically connected, and then turning off the writing transistor so that a predetermined amount of electric charge is held in the node. In a holding period, the memory cell is brought into a selected state and a source electrode and a drain electrode of the reading transistor are set to the same potential, whereby the electric charge stored in the node is held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Inoue, Kiyoshi Kato, Takanori Matsuzaki, Shuhei Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 8341169
    Abstract: Open profile data in a user profile, e.g., free-form fields in a user profile, are processed to identify interests and preferences of the user. The interests and preferences are utilized to identify categories associated with the user profile, and content items, e.g., advertisements, can be identified based on the categories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Megan Nance, Mayur Datar, Julie Tung, Bahman Rabii, Jason C. Miller, Mike Hochberg, Jeremiah Harmsen, Tomasz J. Tunguz-Zawislak, Andres S. Perez-Bergquist
  • Patent number: 8339922
    Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a diffraction grating configured to diffract laser light from a laser diode so that signals recorded in first and second optical discs are selectively reproduced, thicknesses of protective layers between surfaces and signal recording surfaces of the first and second optical discs being different from each other; a polarization beam splitter configured to divide laser light from the diffraction grating into first and second laser lights whose light amounts are substantially the same; a first objective lens configured to focus the first laser light onto the signal recording surface of the first optical disc; a second objective lens configured to focus the second laser light onto the signal recording surface of the second optical disc; and a photodetector configured to be applied with return lights of the first and second laser lights reflected from the signal recording surfaces of the first and second optical discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Optec Design Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tohru Hotta, Ryoichi Kawasaki, Tetsuhisa Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 8340953
    Abstract: A system and method are provided including a component in communication with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. The component is operable to interface the memory circuits an the system for simulating at least one memory circuit with at least one aspect that is different from at least one aspect of at least one of the plurality of memory circuits. The component is further operable to perform a power saving operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Google, Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Natarajan Rajan, Keith R. Schakel, Michael John Sebastian Smith, David T. Wang, Frederick Daniel Weber
  • Patent number: 8339832
    Abstract: A write-once memory can be written only once to each memory cell; therefore, a defective bit cannot be detected by an actual inspection of writing. Accordingly, as described above, the measures, in which a redundant circuit is provided and the defective bit is modified before shipping, cannot be taken; thus, it is difficult to provide a memory with few defects. It is an object of the present invention to provide a write-once memory where the probability of a defect is reduced considerably. A nonvolatile memory that can be written only once includes a redundant memory cell, a first circuit which allocates an address to the redundant memory cell, a second circuit which outputs a determination signal that expresses whether writing is performed normally or not, and a third circuit, to which the determination signal is inputted, which controls the first circuit and the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kato