Patents Issued in February 8, 2011
  • Patent number: 7884524
    Abstract: Provided is a brushless alternator for preventing water from penetrating further inside through a gap between a distal end portion of a spool and a concave portion of a bracket. According to the brushless alternator of the present invention, a rotor includes: a rotor main body; and a coil body (30) fixed to a rear bracket (21). The coil body (30) includes: a bobbin (32); a field coil (13); a yoke portion (10) of a second magnetic pole, the yoke portion (10) having one lateral surface being in close contact with a lateral surface of the bobbin (32) and another lateral surface being bonded to the rear bracket (21); a spool (31) provided on an inner circumferential surface of the yoke portion (10) and an inner circumferential surface of the bobbin (32); and a rubber bush (101) provided to a projecting portion (312) at a distal end of the spool (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Motokazu Kuroda
  • Patent number: 7884525
    Abstract: A nano-scale compliant mechanism includes a coupler and a plurality of nanotubes disposed for nano-scale motion relative to a grounded component. The nanotubes are fastened at one end to the coupler and at the other end to ground, to guide motion of the coupler relative to the ground. Particular embodiments include a plurality of parallel carbon nanotubes. An exemplary embodiment exhibits first and second regions of mechanical behavior; a first region governed by bulk elastic deformation of the nanotubes and a second region governed by compliant, hinge-like bending of the buckled nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Martin L. Culpepper, Spencer P. Magleby, Larry L. Howell, Christopher M. DiBiasio, Robert M. Panas
  • Patent number: 7884526
    Abstract: A driving apparatus (100j) is provided with: a base portion (110); a stage portion (130) on which a driven object (12) is mounted and which can be displaced; an elastic portion (120) which connects the base portion and the stage portion and which has elasticity to displace the stage portion in one direction (Y axis); a first applying device (161, 162, 22) for applying an excitation force for displacing the stage portion such that the stage portion is resonated in the one direction at a resonance frequency determined by the stage portion and the elastic portion; and a frequency adjusting device (170) for dynamically adjusting the resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7884527
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin-film resonator includes: a substrate; a lower electrode that is formed on the substrate; a piezoelectric film that is formed on the lower electrode and the substrate; and an upper electrode that is formed on the piezoelectric film, with the piezoelectric film being partially interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode facing each other. In this piezoelectric thin-film resonator, at least a part of the outer periphery of the piezoelectric film interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode overlaps the outer periphery of the region formed by the upper electrode and the lower electrode facing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Tsutsumi, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Takeshi Sakashita, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Tokihiro Nishihara, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 7884528
    Abstract: A driving apparatus has a piezoelectric element as a driver. The driving apparatus includes a first vibrator which generates an elliptical vibration when a voltage of a predetermined frequency is applied; a first member which holds the first vibrator; a second member which includes a first sliding member to which the first vibrator is pressed and makes a relative displacement with respect to the first member by being driven by the elliptical vibration of the first vibrator; and a first resonance preventive member which is provided to the second member and prevents a resonance in the second member from being generated by the elliptical vibration of the first vibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Hiromichi Sakano
  • Patent number: 7884529
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer is disclosed that is capable of converting mechanical motion into acoustical energy may include a diaphragm and a support on one portion of the diaphragm. An actuator may then be provided that is operatively coupled to a second portion of the diaphragm. The support and actuator may be configured to be environmentally responsive to surrounding conditions of, e.g., heat and/or humidity which may then substantially maintain the diaphragm's acoustic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Emo LAbs, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Johnson, Matthew D. Abelson
  • Patent number: 7884530
    Abstract: The present invention provides, in one embodiment, an apparatus. The apparatus, without limitation, may include a substrate with a surface, and a polymer layer attached to a region of the surface. The apparatus may further include a plurality of nanostructures, a first end of each nanostructure being in the polymer layer and a second end of each nanostructure protruding through the polymer layer, wherein the nanostructures are configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to a change in thickness of the polymer layer from a first thickness to a second thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Joanna Aizenberg, Thomas Nikita Krupenkin, Oleksandr Sydorenko, Joseph Ashley Taylor
  • Patent number: 7884531
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film device according to the present invention comprises a lower electrode, a piezoelectric thin film and a upper electrode, in which the piezoelectric thin film is formed of an alkali niobium oxide-based perovskite material expressed by (K1-xNax)NbO3 (0<x<1), and in which a (001)KNN plane diffraction peak of the piezoelectric thin film indicates an angle 2? from 22.1° to 22.5° in an X-ray diffraction 2?/? measurement to a surface of the piezoelectric thin film, and the (001)KNN plane diffraction peak occupies 80% or more of diffraction peaks of the piezoelectric thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Shibata, Fumihito Oka
  • Patent number: 7884532
    Abstract: A backlight unit using a microwave plasma ultraviolet lamp as a light source and a liquid crystal display including the backlight unit. The backlight unit for a liquid crystal display comprises a tube filled with discharge gas, a cavity resonator in which one end of the tube is inserted, a magnetron for generating microwaves and supplying the generated microwaves to the cavity resonator, a magnetron driver for driving the magnetron, and a phosphor layer for converting ultraviolet light generated in the tube into visible light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang Hoon Lee, Jun Young Lee, Sung Wook Kang, Joon Gon Son, Cheol Hun Lee, Pil Nam Lim
  • Patent number: 7884533
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus provided with an electron-emitting device which has a simple structure, shows high electron-emitting efficiency and stably works. This electron beam apparatus has an insulating member and a gate formed on a substrate, a recess portion formed in the insulating member, a protruding portion that protrudes from an edge of the recess portion toward the gate and is provided on an end part of a cathode opposing to the gate, which is arranged on the side face of the insulating member; and makes an electric field converge on an end part in the width direction of the protruding portion to make an electron emitted therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Tsukamoto, Takuto Moriguchi, Eiji Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7884534
    Abstract: In a PDP, an end of a first partition (124) is provided with a partition end 126 whose height dimension and width dimension are smaller than those of the first partition (124). With this arrangement, when a nozzle is moved from a portion between the partition ends (126) on a first side to a portion between the partition ends (126) on a second side in a phosphor layer forming step for forming a phosphor layer, a phosphor paste can be uniformly applied to recessed portions (123A), thereby easily providing the PDP that includes the phosphor layer with which good images can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Murakami, Akinao Adachi, Kiyoshi Shimomura
  • Patent number: 7884535
    Abstract: A low-pressure gas discharge lamp includes a gas discharge vessel having a gas filling with a discharge-maintaining composition. At least part of a wall of the discharge vessel is provided with a luminescent material including a first UV-B phosphor containing, in a host lattice, gadolinium(III) as an activator and praseodymium(III) as a sensitizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Juestel, Walter Mayr, Olaf Mastenbroek
  • Patent number: 7884536
    Abstract: A light emission device and a display having the light emission device are provided. The light emission device includes a light emission panel for emitting light, a diffuser plate facing the light emission panel to diffuse the light emitted from the light emission panel, and a heat dissipation plate disposed between the light emission panel and the diffuser plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Jin Lee, Kyung-Sun Ryu
  • Patent number: 7884537
    Abstract: A pattern substrate including a conductive pattern of overlapping circular patterns disposed on a substrate is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuro Sekiya
  • Patent number: 7884538
    Abstract: A light-emitting device is provided, which includes a package having a first portion and a second portion surrounding it, a semiconductor light-emitting element mounted on the first portion and emitting a light having an emission peak in a near-ultraviolet region, a transparent resin layer covering the semiconductor light-emitting element and contacted with the package, and a laminated body formed on the transparent resin layer with end faces of the laminated body being contacted with the second portion. The transparent resin layer has an arch-like outer profile perpendicular cross section. The laminated body has an arch-like outer profile in perpendicular cross section and comprises a red fluorescent layer, a yellow fluorescent layer, a green fluorescent layer and a blue fluorescent layer laminated in the mentioned order. The yellow fluorescent layer has a top portion which is made larger in thickness than that of the end face portions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Iwao Mitsuishi, Shinya Nunoue, Yasushi Hattori
  • Patent number: 7884539
    Abstract: A phosphor having an excitation band relative to lights in the wide range of wavelengths from ultraviolet to visible light, and having an emission spectrum in the red range and so on, with a wide half value width, and an LED and a light source using the phosphor and emitting white and other color lights with good color rendering properties are provided. Powdered raw materials of Ca3N2 (2N), CaO (2N), AlN (3N), Si3N4 (3N), and Eu2O3 (3N) are prepared, and the respective raw materials are mixed to have a mole ratio of the respective elements of Ca:Al:Si:Eu=0.985:1:1:0.015. The mixed raw materials are fired at 1000° C. or higher in an inert atmosphere for three hours, and thereafter pulverized to obtain a phosphor having a composition of CaAlSiN2.83O0.25:Eu, which is one example of the phosphor satisfying the above described object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: DOWA Electronics Materials Co., Ltd., Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nagatomi, Masahiro Gotoh, Kenji Sakane, Shuji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7884540
    Abstract: An organic light emitting diode display includes a display panel having a display area with a plurality of thin film transistors and a peripheral area provided along a circumference of the display area, an emission layer formed within the display area, a driver formed in the peripheral area which applies display signals including gate signals and data signals to the thin film transistors, a driving voltage pad formed in the peripheral area which applies a driving voltage to the display area, a common voltage pad formed in the peripheral area which applies a common voltage to the display area, a main connector connected to an external voltage source, and a flexible conductive film including a conductive layer electrically connecting between at least one of the driving voltage pad and the common voltage pad and the main connector. The organic light emitting diode display facilitates modulation due to a simple structure, and improves a voltage drop phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Si-Duk Sung, Byung-Sik Koh
  • Patent number: 7884541
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescent apparatus includes a plurality of light-emitting elements each having an organic layer held between a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, and a partition pattern with which the organic layers of the individual light-emitting elements are defined. The partition pattern has a plurality of openings in which the organic layers are respectively provided, the plurality of openings including first openings provided in a peripheral region of a element area, in which the light-emitting elements are arranged, and second openings provided in a region closer to the center of the element area than the region where the first openings are provided. The first openings have larger planar dimensions than those of the second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shunichi Seki, Tsukasa Ota
  • Patent number: 7884542
    Abstract: A display device includes; an insulating substrate, a thin film transistor disposed on the insulating substrate and which comprises a drain electrode, a wall disposed on the thin film transistor and which includes an opening and a contact hole which exposes the drain electrode, a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode through the contact hole and which comprises a first part in direct contact with the insulating substrate and a second part connected to the first part, an organic layer disposed on the pixel electrode and which comprises an organic emission layer, and a common electrode disposed on the organic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Un-cheol Sung, Jin-koo Chung, Jung-soo Rhee
  • Patent number: 7884543
    Abstract: A method of forming a wiring of a light emitting device having an electrode on a light emission surface is disclosed. The method includes: forming the electrode nearly in a linear shape in which the width is narrower than the light emission surface; and forming a wiring that is connected to the electrode nearly in a linear shape in which the width is narrower than the light emission surface to cross the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Doi
  • Patent number: 7884544
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor light emitting element that emits light of a first wavelength, at least two kinds of phosphors that absorb the light of the first wavelength and then emit wavelength-converted light, sealing resin in which the at least two kinds of phosphors are dispersed and the semiconductor light emitting element is embedded, and binder resin. Combined bodies in which the at least two kinds of phosphors are combined by the binder resin are dispersed in the sealing resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hatsuo Takezawa, Kenji Shimomura, Hiroaki Oshio, Yasuhiro Shirakawa, Tsutomu Ishii
  • Patent number: 7884545
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the provision of an LED light source that can easily adjust its chromaticity and a chromaticity adjustment method for such an LED light source. More specifically, the invention provides a chromaticity adjustment method for an LED light source having an LED device, a phosphor which absorbs a portion of light emitted from the LED device and emits light by wavelength conversion, and a resin material containing the phosphor and disposed so as to enclose the LED device, wherein an ink coating layer is disposed on a surface of the resin material in order to adjust chromaticity; the invention also provides an LED light source adjusted in such a manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Yokoyama, Keisuke Sakai
  • Patent number: 7884546
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus is provided which is increased in heat dissipation, making it possible to adapt to an increase in output of the apparatus. The electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus comprises a bulb containing a discharge gas and a coupler accommodated in a cavity formed in the bulb for generating a high frequency electromagnetic field. The coupler has: an induction coil; a core inserted into the coil; a heat conductor for conducting heat generated from the coil and the core; and a bobbin made of resin which accommodates the core and the heat conductor therein, and which has the coil wound therearound. The bobbin is designed to be separated in a radial direction of the coil, so that it is possible to separately mold the respective parts of the bobbin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd., Ikeda Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ogasawara, Hiroshi Miyasaki, Hidenori Kakehashi, Keisuke Harada, Yoshinobu Shibata
  • Patent number: 7884547
    Abstract: Lead-free acid-resistant glass composition includes 5-25% of SiO2, 4-30% of B2O3, 7-30% of ZnO, 15-70% of Bi2O3, 0-15% of Al2O3, 5-20% of BaO in weight percentage, and being substantially lead-free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Noritake Co., Limited
    Inventors: Yuko Kato, Makiko Imai
  • Patent number: 7884548
    Abstract: A PDP comprises: front and back glass substrates facing each other across a discharge space; a plurality of row electrode pairs and column electrodes disposed between the front and back glass substrates and extending in directions at right angles to each other to form discharge cells in positions corresponding to the intersections in the discharge space; and an electride compound in which electrons are substituted for part of anions in the crystal lattice and which is disposed in an area facing the discharge cells and exposed to each discharge cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yoshioka, Takayoshi Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 7884549
    Abstract: A gas-discharge lamp (1) is described having an inner envelope (2) comprising a discharge vessel (3) and two tubular sections (6, 7) arranged on the discharge vessel, having two electrodes (4, 5) that project from the tubular sections (6, 7) into the discharge vessel (3) and that, to enable them to be supplied with power, are electrically connected to respective electrical conductors (10, 11) that extend through the associated tubular sections (6, 7) and that are enclosed in the tubular sections (6, 7) with a gastight seal along a sealing section (8, 9). The lamp (1) has an outer envelope (18) that is connected at each of its ends to respective ones of the tubular sections (6, 7) of the inner envelope (2) and that surrounds the discharge vessel (3) while leaving an outer cavity (20) between itself (18) and the discharge vessel (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Klaus Scholler, Manfred Westemeyer, Godfried Maria Manders, Bram Visser
  • Patent number: 7884550
    Abstract: A transparent sintered yttrium aluminum garnet ceramic material formed from a solid-state reaction of a mixture of yttrium oxide powder and aluminum oxide powder during sintering. The ceramic material preferably has an in-line transmission of greater than 75% so it may used to fabricate arc tubes for high intensity discharge lamps used in automotive headlamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory M. Gratson, James A. Brewer, Venkat S. Venkataramani, Mohamed Rahmane, Svetlana Selezneva, Sairam Sundaram
  • Patent number: 7884551
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to RF (radio frequency) inductive coupling plasma (ICP) sources exciting and maintaining plasma within a closed and vacuum sealed discharge chamber filled with a gaseous medium at a controllable pressure in the range from 1 mTorr to atmospheric pressure. The inductively couple plasma source of the present invention includes a radio frequency source, a quasi-closed O-type solenoidal inductor comprised of two equal section U-shaped solenoid coil halves separated from one another to form two operating gaps between aligned spaced ends of the solenoid coil halves. Each of the U-shaped halves of the solenoid coil is sectioned to have an electrical midpoint connected to the radio frequency source and the distal outer ends of the solenoid coils, which correspond to the aforesaid aligned spaced ends of the quasi-closed solenoidal inductor, are connected to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Shunko, Inc.
    Inventor: Evgeny V. Shun'ko
  • Patent number: 7884552
    Abstract: A backlight device includes a hot cathode fluorescent tube having a pair of electrodes, a power source arranged to apply voltage having an alternating component to at least one of the pair of electrodes, and an electrode heating circuit arranged to supply heating current to the electrodes. The backlight device further includes temperature sensors that detect the temperatures in the electrodes to be supplied with the heating current. Based on the results detected by the temperature sensors, a switch element is driven by the control section. The heating current is thus controlled. With this, the temperatures in the electrodes of the electrical discharge tube can be more accurately grasped, and the temperatures in the electrodes of the discharge tube can be more properly controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiki Takata
  • Patent number: 7884553
    Abstract: A light-emitting diode illumination circuit includes light-emitting diodes connected in series and compensating elements connected in parallel with the light-emitting diodes. Each of the compensating elements includes positive and negative terminals and at least one conductor having a predetermined melting point. The conductor melts in the event of open-circuit failure so that the terminals are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Haruaki Wada, Kunio Oshimo, Takenobu Urazono
  • Patent number: 7884554
    Abstract: A starting circuit arrangement for starting at least one discharge lamp by applying an electrical starting voltage pulse to the discharge lamp, the starting circuit arrangement has: at least one source circuit arrangement for providing an electrical primary voltage pulse, at least one starting circuit for providing the starting voltage pulse, and at least one inductive coupling element for inductively coupling-in the primary voltage pulse into the starting circuit for the purpose of generating the starting voltage pulse. The inductive coupling element has a transformation ratio for a voltage transformation which is selected from the range of from 1/25 to 1/400. A method for starting a discharge lamp by applying a starting voltage pulse using the starting circuit arrangement is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Martin Honsberg-Riedl, Burkhard Ulrich, Alwin Veser
  • Patent number: 7884555
    Abstract: A capacitor 42 (C1) of a first bootstrap circuit 4 for maintaining the ON state of a first switching device 61, one of the two switching devices disposed on a higher potential side of first DC voltage V1, is not only charged with second DC voltage V2, but also supplied with a charging current from third DC voltage V3 on a secondary winding n2 side of a transformer 22, and maintains the ON state of the first switching device 61 for a long time with the charge of both of them. This makes it possible to fix the polarity of the voltage to be applied to the discharge lamp 8 to the single side polarity closer to the DC output operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nukisato, Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 7884556
    Abstract: A color-changing light array powered by a driver circuit, the driver circuit responsive to a controller circuit, and the controller circuit configured to change display lighting patterns or colors based on modes of operation and off-on power cycle intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Color Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: Samir Gandhi
  • Patent number: 7884557
    Abstract: A light source is protected by selectively coupling a shunt path in parallel with the light source, such that current is diverted away from the light source and through the shunt path. A detection circuit detects the current flowing in the shunt path when the shunt path is connected in parallel with the light source. A comparator determines whether the current flowing in the shunt path exceeds a predetermined threshold and, if so, prevents or limits the flow of current when the shunt path is disconnected from being in parallel with the light source. In this way, a current detector is provided for monitoring the flow of current in a shunt path, the current detector being configured to disable or limit the flow of current through a light source when a predetermined threshold is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plc
    Inventors: Colin Steele, Catherine A. Hearne, David P. Singleton
  • Patent number: 7884558
    Abstract: A driver apparatus is provided for controlling a light source array comprising at least first and second light sources, the light source array used for illuminating a scan region on a target object, wherein light reflected from said target object is captured by a detector. The driver apparatus comprises a single integrated circuit comprising processing means for processing image data received from the detector, a switching array comprising at least first and second switches for switching the respective first and second light sources, and a current source for controlling the flow of current through the light sources. In this way the LED switching circuitry that controls an LED array is 15 placed on the same integrated circuit (i.e. monolithic circuit) as the analogue processing circuitry that processes the image data, with the current source controlling the flow of current through the LEDs in the LED array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics plc
    Inventors: Colin Steele, Catherine A. Hearne, David P. Singleton
  • Patent number: 7884559
    Abstract: A multi-energy frequency-multiplying particle accelerator and a method thereof are disclosed, an accelerator comprises a pulse power generation unit for generating N pulse signals with different power levels, N is equal to or greater than 2; N microwave power generation units for, under the control of a control signal, generating N microwaves with different energy levels based on said N pulse signals, respectively; a power mixing unit having N entrances and one exit and for inputting a corresponding microwave among said N microwaves from each of said N entrances and outputting said N microwaves from said one exit; a particle beam generation unit for generating N particle beams in synchronization with said N microwaves; and an accelerating unit for using said N microwaves to accelerate said N particle beams, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Nuctech Company Limited
    Inventors: Yaohong Liu, Chuanxiang Tang, Haifeng Hu, Zhiqiang Chen, Yuanjing Li, Huaibi Chen, Huaping Tang, Jinsheng Liu, Jianjun Gao
  • Patent number: 7884560
    Abstract: A device includes a housing configured with a working element. The device also includes a motor configured for urging motion of the working element. The device also includes a power control module which may be electrically connected with at least one of the motor, a first power source configuration and a second power source configuration. Electric current is provided to the motor by the first and/or the second power source configurations. The first power source configuration may be electrically connected to a battery assembly having a DC power output. The second power source configuration may be electrically connected to a power inverter which may receive AC power and output DC power to the second power source configuration. The motor may be one of a permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor, a universal motor and an induction motor, the motor receiving power via the power control module from at least one of the first power source configuration and the second power source configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventors: Delbert E. Lucas, Justin Lucas, Ryan J. Lucas, Paul Brent Boyd
  • Patent number: 7884561
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of speed control selection for an electronically commutated motor comprising the following steps: (a) a motor controller receives an input signal T from a speed control selection circuit; (b) the motor controller retrieves a corresponding value for a motor running speed S from a comparison list correlating the input signal with the motor running speed, which list has been stored in the motor controller in advance, by searching the comparison list for the input signal T; and (c) the motor controller controlling a motor M to run at the motor running speed S, achieving the purpose of the speed selection. This method allows for from 2 to 256 speed choices with a single signal wire only. Such a circuit structure has the advantages of high integration, simple wiring, low cost, good performances, low failure rate, higher number of optional speeds, and simpler and more practical control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Zhongshan Broad-Ocean Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Aiqian Peng, Maosen Zeng, Wenwei Huang
  • Patent number: 7884562
    Abstract: The Brushless Multiphase Self-Commutation Controller or BMSCC is an adjustable speed drive for reliable, contact-less and stable self-commutation control of electric apparatus, including electric motors and generators. BMSCC transforms multiphase electrical excitation from one frequency to variable frequency that is automatically synchronized to the movement of the electric apparatus without traditional estimation methods of commutation and frequency synthesis using derivatives of electronic, electro-mechanical, and field-oriented-control. Instead, BMSCC comprises an analog electromagnetic computer with synchronous modulation techniques to first establish magnetic energy and then dynamically share packets of magnetic energy between phase windings of a multiphase, position dependent flux, high frequency transformer by direct AC-to-AC conversion without an intermediate DC conversion stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: Frederick William Klatt
  • Patent number: 7884563
    Abstract: Provided is a motor having a magnetic polar unit in which a permanent magnetic polar array having arranged therein alternately a plurality of permanent magnetic polar elements in alternate opposite poles is made to face a plurality of electromagnetic coil arrays alternately excited at opposite poles, and the permanent magnetic polar array is made to move thereby; wherein the motor further comprises a sensor for detecting the periodical magnetic change accompanying the movement of the permanent magnetic polar array, the output of the sensor is directly returned as a direct drive waveform to the electromagnetic coils, and this drive circuit forms the excitation signal based on the return signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kesatoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7884564
    Abstract: A control circuit of a sensorless motor includes a first coil, a second coil, a first switch circuit, a second switch circuit and an auxiliary switch circuit. The first switch circuit is electrically connected to the first coil and controls a direction of a current flowing through the first coil. The second switch circuit is electrically connected to the second coil and controls a direction of a current flowing through the second coil. The auxiliary switch circuit is electrically connected to and between the first coil and the second coil and controls the directions of the currents flowing through the first coil and the second coil by cooperating with the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit. A control method of a sensorless motor is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng-Hu Huang, Chun-Lung Chiu
  • Patent number: 7884565
    Abstract: A human-machine interface assembly includes a user interface and a passive force feedback mechanism. The user interface is configured, upon receipt of an input force that exceeds a null breakout force, to move from a null position to a first control position and, upon receipt of an input force that exceeds a soft stop force, to move beyond the first control position. The passive force feedback mechanism is coupled to the user interface and is configured to supply the null breakout force to the user interface when the user interface is in the null position, and supply the soft stop force to the user interface when the user interface is in the first control position. The soft stop force exceeds the null breakout force and is not supplied to the user interface unless the user interface is in the first control position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: James I Kern, James Casey Hanlon, Justin A. Tanner
  • Patent number: 7884566
    Abstract: A system and method of implementing servomechanism control without rate feedback is provided. A position feedback signal is filtered using a non-linear lead-lag filter that has a variable frequency response to thereby generate a compensated position feedback signal. A position error signal is generated from a position command signal and a sensed position signal, and the frequency response of the non-linear lead-lag filter is varied in response to the position error signal. A compensated position error signal is generated from the commanded position signal and the compensated position feedback signal. The compensated position error signal is at least selectively filtered using a non-linear integral filter that has a variable gain to thereby at least selectively supply a filtered position error signal. The gain of the non-linear integral filter is varied in response to the compensated position error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Abel, Dwayne M. Benson
  • Patent number: 7884567
    Abstract: Fuel cell systems and methods for controlling fuel cell systems. In one embodiment, the method includes supplying power produced by operating the fuel cell stack in a maximum output mode to the load while concurrently charging the secondary cell with the produced power when an amount of charge of the secondary cell is smaller than a first standard value, supplying both power produced by operating the fuel cell stack in a stable output mode and the power discharged by the secondary cell to the load when the amount of charge of the secondary cell is larger than a second standard value, and maintaining an existing output mode among the output modes when the amount of charge of the secondary cell is larger than the first standard value and smaller than the second standard value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-rak Kim, Sung-won Jeong
  • Patent number: 7884568
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprises a main body, a lens module and a solar panel. The main body comprises a battery pack and a photosensitive element. The lens module is connected with the main body. The solar panel is disposed between the photosensitive element and the lens module, and the solar panel is electrically connected with the battery pack. The solar panel is able to receive the light focused by the lens module and convert the light into electricity to supply to the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Altek Corporation
    Inventor: Hsiao-Chang Yao
  • Patent number: 7884569
    Abstract: A series charger (80) is provided to charge a high voltage battery (42) in an electric vehicle with a low voltage solar panel (50). The series charger (80) provides switches (841, 842) to connect the terminals of solar panel (50) across individual battery cells (341-n) in series connected battery (42) one battery cell at a time. Charging by series charger (80) can occur while the cells (341-n) of battery (42) remain connected in series. With the series charger (80), the high voltage battery (42) can be charged by the low voltage solar panel (50) without using a lossy DC-DC converter. The high voltage battery (42) charged by series charger (80) can be connected in parallel with a second high voltage battery to enable charging all cells of the second battery together. The solar panel (50) can be provided in a moon roof or truck bed cover adjustable to track the sun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: Thomas A. Ward
  • Patent number: 7884570
    Abstract: A battery charger may include a charger connector to be coupled to a corresponding device connector of a portable device including a rechargeable battery. The battery charger may also include a charging circuit connected to the charger connector, and a controller connected to the charger connector and the charging circuit. The controller may be for causing a portable device connected to the charger connector to identify its corresponding portable device type and its corresponding rechargeable battery type from among a plurality of different portable device types and different battery types, and for causing the charging circuit to charge the rechargeable battery based thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael L. Purdy, Ryan Mitchell Bayne
  • Patent number: 7884571
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charging a USB device. A USB connector may be used to couple the system to a USB port on the USB device, the USB connector including a bus voltage (Vbus) connector, a positive data (D+) connector, and a negative data (D?) connector. Charger circuitry may be used to receive a source voltage and convert the source voltage into the bus voltage (Vbus), wherein the bus voltage (Vbus) is used to charge the USB device. Presence detect circuitry may be used to compare a first voltage present on the D+ connector with a second voltage present on the D? connector in order to detect when the USB connector is coupled to the USB port of the USB device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Dusan Veselic
  • Patent number: 7884572
    Abstract: A hot spot device includes an embedded processing module, a network connection module, and a terminal connection module. The embedded processing module controls the network connection module to connect to Internet, and also controls the network connection module to communicate with the terminal connection module. The terminal connection module includes a station (STA) chip and a first antenna. The STA chip receives from the embedded processing module data information obtained from the Internet through the network connection module, processes the data information, and transmits the data information to a certain area through the first antenna, so as to realize wireless signal coverage in the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Huawei Device Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yang Zhao
  • Patent number: 7884573
    Abstract: A battery receptacle system is provided to accept various types or sizes of batteries in different orientations. The battery receptacle system includes a first radial notch for positioning a first positive terminal of a first battery to electrically connect with the first positive contact at a first position, and a second radial notch for positioning a second positive terminal of a second battery of a different size and/or type than the first battery to electrically connect with the first positive contact at a second position, different from the first position. The second radial notch is configured to prevent the first positive terminal of the first battery from electrically connecting with the first positive contact at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Glen C. Larsen