Patents Examined by Cuong Nguyen
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Patent number: 8258543Abstract: Quantum-well-based semiconductor devices and methods of forming quantum-well-based semiconductor devices are described. A method includes providing a hetero-structure disposed above a substrate and including a quantum-well channel region. The method also includes forming a source and drain material region above the quantum-well channel region. The method also includes forming a trench in the source and drain material region to provide a source region separated from a drain region. The method also includes forming a gate dielectric layer in the trench, between the source and drain regions; and forming a gate electrode in the trench, above the gate dielectric layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Gilbert Dewey, Marko Radosavljevic, Ravi Pillarisetty, Robert S. Chau, Matthew V. Metz
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Patent number: 8242541Abstract: A technique which reduces the influence of external noise such as crosstalk noise in a semiconductor device to prevent a circuit from malfunctioning. A true signal wire and a bar signal wire which are susceptible to noise and part of an input signal line to a level shifter circuit, and shield wires for shielding these signal wires are laid on an I/O cell. Such I/O cells are placed side by side to complete a true signal wire connection and a bar signal wire connection. These wires are arranged in a way to pass over a plurality of I/O cells and are parallel to each other or multilayered.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2007Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventors: Takayuki Sasaki, Yasuto Igarashi, Naozumi Morino
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Patent number: 8232577Abstract: A light emitting device according to the embodiment may include a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer; a first electrode on the light emitting structure; and a protection layer including a first metallic material on an outer peripheral region of one of the light emitting structure and the first electrode.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2011Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hwan Hee Jeong
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Patent number: 8227333Abstract: A structure and a method of manufacturing a Pb-free Controlled Collapse Chip Connection (C4) with a Ball Limiting Metallurgy (BLM) structure for semiconductor chip packaging that reduce chip-level cracking during the Back End of Line (BEOL) processes of chip-join cool-down. An edge of the BLM structure that is subject to tensile stress during chip-join cool down is protected from undercut of a metal seed layer, caused by wet etch of the chip to remove metal layers from the chip's surface and solder reflow, by an electroplated barrier layer, which covers a corresponding edge of the metal seed layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2010Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Timothy H. Daubenspeck, Jeffrey P. Gambino, Christopher D. Muzzy, Wolfgang Sauter
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Patent number: 8208662Abstract: A microelectromechanical system microphone structure including a substrate, a first device and at least one second device is provided. The first device is disposed on the substrate and including a first upper electrode and a first lower electrode disposed between the first upper electrode and the substrate. The second device is disposed on the substrate, surrounding the first device and including a second upper electrode and a second lower electrode disposed between the second upper electrode and the substrate. The second upper electrode includes a plurality of first conductive layers and first plugs. The first conductive layers are arranged in steps, and the first plug is disposed between the adjacent first conductive layers. The second lower electrode includes a plurality of second conductive layers and a plurality of second plugs. The second conductive layers are arranged in steps, and the second plug is disposed between the adjacent second conductive layers.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.Inventor: Li-Che Chen
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Patent number: 8204264Abstract: A faceplate of a hearing device housing with a component fitted in an opening of the faceplate and an associated method are provided. The faceplate is formed from a first material. When a predefinable distance between the support surface of the components in the opening and the surface facing away from the exterior of the faceplate is not reached, a second material is applied below the support surface to the surface of the faceplate such that the predefinable distance is produced. As a result, even with fitted components, for instance the volume controller or program selection switch, the mechanical stability of the faceplate is ensured.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2008Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Peter Nikles, Erika Radick, Benjamin Schmidt, Christian Schmitt, Erwin Singer, Cornelia Wiedenbrüg
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Patent number: 8189829Abstract: For the identification of peripheral devices on a hearing aid, these devices are provided with an identification resistor (R) that can be read out by the configuration of the hearing aid.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2007Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Phonak AGInventor: Andi Vonlanthen
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Patent number: 8189830Abstract: A hearing aid (or other assistive listening device) that is suitable for limited use is disclosed. The hearing aid can be configured to be usable for a predetermined period of time. After the expiration of the predetermined period of time, the hearing aid can cease to operate or operate in a degraded manner. Once the hearing aid has become significantly degraded, it can be either disposed of or reconfigured (or reprogrammed) so as to be usable for an additional period of time.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2007Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Apherma, LLCInventor: Zezheng Hou
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Patent number: 8174049Abstract: A semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes: a semiconductor substrate having first and second regions; a first transistor comprising a first gate insulating film and a first gate electrode thereon in the first region on the semiconductor substrate, the first gate insulating film comprising a first interface layer containing nitrogen atoms and a first high dielectric constant layer thereon; a second transistor comprising a second gate insulating film and a second gate electrode thereon in the second region on the semiconductor substrate, the second gate insulating film comprising a second interface layer and a second high dielectric constant layer thereon, the second interface layer containing nitrogen atoms at an average concentration lower than that of the first interface layer or not containing nitrogen atoms, and the second transistor having a threshold voltage different from that of the first transistor; and an element isolation region on the semiconductor substrate, the element isolationType: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Masakazu Goto
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Patent number: 8158466Abstract: An array substrate including a substrate having a pixel region, a gate line and a gate electrode on the substrate, the gate electrode being connected to the gate line, a gate insulating layer on the gate line and the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer, an auxiliary pattern on the oxide semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes on the auxiliary pattern, the source and drain electrodes being disposed over the auxiliary pattern and spaced apart from each other to expose a portion of the auxiliary pattern. Further, the exposed portion of the auxiliary pattern exposes a channel region and including a metal oxide over the channel region.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2009Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yong-Yub Kim, Chang-Il Ryoo
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Patent number: 8155324Abstract: A calculating unit (201) arranges a three-dimensional spatial body containing a listening point within a virtual space in a voice processor (200). The three-dimensional spatial body is constituted by a group of predetermined unit figures. The calculating unit (201) acquires a distribution of a region and an amount of overlap between a region occupied by the three-dimensional spatial body and a region occupied by predetermined objects. A modifying unit (202) modifies reflected sounds of sounds by the predetermined objects based on the distribution of the region of overlap and the amount of overlap acquired by the calculating unit (201). An outputting unit (203) outputs the reflected sounds modified by the modifying unit (202).Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2006Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co. Ltd.Inventor: Hiroyuki Nakayama
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Patent number: 8150617Abstract: A system is provided for providing location-specific images to a mobile device for display. The system generally comprises three components: a mobile device having a screen, a position identification system (e.g., a GPS receiver) that determines the position of the mobile device, and a database containing location-specific images taken at various locations. Each location-specific image is associated with geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was taken. Based on the position of the mobile device as determined by the position identification system, a location-specific image is selected from the database and displayed on the screen of the mobile device. For example, when a user is using the mobile device as a car navigation system, a location-specific image of the user's destination location can be selected and displayed when the determined position of the mobile device comes within a certain distance from the geographic coordinates of the destination location.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2004Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: A9.com, Inc.Inventors: Udi Manber, Barnaby M. Dorfman, Jonathan A. Gold
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Patent number: 8150080Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adapting a hearing aid with at least one input converter, a signal processing device and an output converter by using a genetic feature of the wearer to whom the hearing aid is to be adapted. Depending on the genetic feature, at least one adaptable parameter is adapted by the signal processing device. The invention further relates to a hearing device system which can be adapted to the hearing device wearer as a function of a genetic feature.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbHInventor: Kristin Rohrseitz
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Patent number: 8150049Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital hearing aid, which models the structures of external ear canals, sizes and shape characteristics of which differ between respective persons, obtains resonance gains generated due to the structural characteristics of the external ear canals, and performs digitization and signal processing to allow the resonance gains to be used as the gain factors of the digital hearing aid, and thus applies the gain factors to digital signal processing units. Further, the present invention proposes a gain obtainment unit capable of taking both resonance gains, generated due to the structural characteristics, and gains, obtained through a hearing test, into account, thus reducing the time required for gain fitting and possible errors, and optimizing the performance of the digital hearing aid for each individual.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2007Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and TechnologyInventors: Hoi-Jun Yoo, Sun-Young Kim, Seung-Jin Lee
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Method for the time-controlled adjustment of a hearing apparatus and corresponding hearing apparatus
Patent number: 8139778Abstract: The training of a hearing apparatus in respect of an individual adjustment is to be developed in a more user-friendly manner. To this end, provision is firstly made to automatically classify a hearing situation, to adjust a parameter of the signal processing facility of the hearing apparatus and to automatically learn the adjusted parameters for the current hearing situation. A temporal monitoring of the steps “classifying” and “adjusting” is however carried out here and the automatic learning is only triggered if the classified hearing situation and the adjustment of the parameters have not changed over a predetermined time period. This not only simplifies the training, but also enables a more rapid training by means of automatically triggered training events.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2007Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbHInventors: Roland Barthel, Robert Bäuml, Eghart Fischer -
Patent number: 8129247Abstract: A method for forming a nanowire field effect transistor (FET) device includes forming a nanowire on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first gate structure on a first portion of the nanowire, forming a first protective spacer adjacent to sidewalls of the first gate structure and over portions of the nanowire extending from the first gate structure, removing exposed portions of the nanowire left unprotected by the first spacer, and epitaxially growing a doped semiconductor material on exposed cross sections of the nanowire to form a first source region and a first drain region.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2009Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Sarunya Bangsaruntip, Josephine B. Chang, Guy M. Cohen, Jeffrey W. Sleight
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Patent number: 8130989Abstract: The spontaneous acceptance by a hearing device wearer in respect of a new hearing device is to be improved. To this end, a method for adjusting the amplification of a hearing device to an individual hearing device wearer is proposed, with which a target amplification for the hearing device wearer is determined on the basis of his/her hearing loss. Data relating to the gender of the hearing device wearer is provided in order to improve the adjustment. The target amplification is then also determined on the basis of the gender of the hearing device wearer. With the gender-specific target amplification, it is possible for instance to take account of the fact that women exhibit a more sensitive perception for average voice levels than men, thereby allowing the target amplification to correspondingly drop much lower.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbHInventor: Matthias Latzel
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Patent number: 7840341Abstract: A system which automatically makes a travel plan by using on-vehicle or portable terminal. The system can prepare a travel plan in which the concrete destination and route are specified when rough positional and temporal conditions are inputted. The objective area and schedule inputted through the terminal are transmitted to an information center. At the information center, a basic frame of the travel meeting the received conditions is prepared. For a day trip, an example of the basic frame is “departure-walk-lunch-amusement park-night view-return”. After the basic frame is prepared, concrete facilities meeting the actions are specified by making access to a data base. The specified facilities are inputted to the basic frame, and thus a concrete plan is completed. The completed plan is supplied to the terminal and displayed on a display to the persons who want to travel. The completed plan is further supplied to a navigation system and the system guides the persons in accordance with the plan.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1995Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Sato, Masafumi Kizu, Makoto Morita, Masanobu Yamashita
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Patent number: 7818116Abstract: Techniques are provided for displaying a map for a route in a ground-based vehicle. The map includes a variable road network map showing finer detail for geographic features near the route and less detail for geographic features farther from the route. The map is displayed based on the travel direction of the ground-based vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2002Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: MapQuest, Inc.Inventor: David W. Nesbitt
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Patent number: 7801652Abstract: A method for storing data concerning an operating fault of a device, wherein the recorded data include in particular a minimum value and a maximum value of a characteristic parameter of the operating mode of the device. The method includes an updating phase, performed when the fault occurs, which includes an operation that updates the minimum value and/or the maximum value based on the current value of the parameter. The updating phase may also include updating an occurrence number. The method may also include an initializing phase, during which a reference image of the parameters of the device is stored. The method is applicable in particular to the diagnosis of a vehicle engine-transmission unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2006Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Renault S.A.SInventors: Joseph Regnard de Lagny, Abdelmalik Belaid