Abstract: A method for decoding compressed multimedia data is disclosed. At least one performance parameter corresponding to a system environment or a display requirement of the compressed multimedia data is first acquired. A rendering flow for the compressed multimedia data according to the at least one performance parameter is then determined dynamically, wherein the rendering flow comprises a specific arrangement of rendering procedures indicating the execution order of the rendering procedures. Then, the compressed multimedia data is decoded with the determined rendering flow so as to display the decoded data as an image data.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip package is disclosed. The semiconductor chip package comprises a package substrate having a bottom surface. At least four adjacent ball pads are on the bottom surface, arranged in a first two-row array along a first direction and a second direction. At least four vias are drilled through the package substrate, arranged in a second two-row array, wherein each of the vias in a row of the second two-row array is offset by a first distance along the first direction and a second distance along the second direction from the connecting ball pads in a row of the first two-row array, and each of the vias in the other adjacent row of the second two-row array is offset by the first distance along an opposite direction to the first direction and the second distance along the second direction from the connecting ball pads in the other adjacent row of the first two-row array.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip package is provided. The semiconductor chip package includes a lead frame having a chip carrier. A semiconductor chip is mounted on the chip carrier, having a plurality of bonding pads thereon. A package substrate has a cavity therein to accommodate the chip carrier and the semiconductor chip, wherein at least one of the bonding pads of the semiconductor chip is electrically coupled to the package substrate.

Abstract: An optical path control device is provided, including a fixed reflective mirror fixed on a first position at a fixed angle for an incident light to be reflected thereon, and a rotatable reflective mirror driven by a driving device and rotated on a fixed axle. A surface of the rotatable reflective mirror is perpendicular to the fixed axle. The axle is disposed at a second position so that a rotating path of the rotatable reflective mirror passes through the incident light reflected on the fixed reflective mirror. A normal line of an incident point of the rotatable reflective mirror where the incident light enters, and a normal line of an incident point of the fixed reflective mirror where the incident light enters generates a predetermined included angle.

Abstract: Aircraft attitude systems are provided. A representative aircraft attitude system includes: a detection system operative to determine an attitude of an aircraft in which the detection system is mounted; a warning system operative to alert a pilot when the attitude of the aircraft corresponds to at least one predefined attitude parameter from a set of predefined attitude parameters, the predefined attitude parameters including pitch, bank and yaw; and a recovery system operative to provide progressive flight control positioning directives to the pilot for returning the aircraft to a flight attitude within the predefined attitude parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for automated editing of content is disclosed. The system includes a biasable editing engine. A user is provided with content. The user rates the content according to user preferences. The system receives the ratings implements the editor engine, which edits the content and which is biased in its decision making by user ratings.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical disk drive. The optical disk drive comprises a pickup head, a seek control device, a lens vision characteristic decoder, and an anti lens shift device. The pickup head comprises a sled and a lens for projecting a beam on a disk. The seek control device moves the sled, and shifts the lens with a shift distance relative to an origin at a center of the sled. The equalizer derives a servo signal from a reflection of the beam. The lens vision characteristic decoder obtains a vision characteristic of the lens according to the servo signal and determines a track-on direction according to the vision characteristic. The anti lens shift device triggers the seek control device to perform a track-on process according to the track-on direction.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film transistor (TFT) is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a substrate with a gate electrode formed thereon; forming an insulating layer on the substrate and covering the gate electrode; forming an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer (intrinsic a-Si layer) on the insulating layer; forming an etch-stop layer on the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer, and the etch-stop layer positioned correspondingly to the gate electrode; treating the etch-stop layer to form an oxide layer, and the oxide layer covering the etch-stop layer; forming a n+ a-Si layer above the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer, and the n+ a-Si layer covering partial surface of the etch-stop layer and the oxide layer separating a sidewall of the etch-stop layer and the n+ a-Si layer; and forming a conductive layer on the n+ a-Si layer.

Abstract: A lighting system comprising a plurality of light units, wherein said light units are arranged in an array, wherein the light beams of substantially each pair of adjacent light units overlap each other, and wherein the light system comprises a light control device which is arranged to adjust the intensity of each one of said plurality of light units individually, wherein said light control device is further arranged to maintain the total combined luminous flux emitted from said plurality of light units on a predefined imaginary flat surface substantially equal when adjusting the intensity of the individual light units.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel including several first electrode portions, several second electrode portions, and a smectic liquid crystal layer is provided. The first electrode portions and the second electrode portions are disposed on a first substrate. When an AC voltage is applied on the first electrode portions and the second electrode portions, the direction of a horizontal electrical field formed between each first electrode portion and the adjacent second electrode portion is parallel to the surface of the first substrate. The smectic liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first substrate and a second substrate. During the phase change of a liquid crystal molecule of the smectic liquid crystal layer, the horizontal electrical field generated by applying the AC voltage on the first electrode portions and the second electrode portions facilitates the alignment of the liquid crystal molecule of the smectic liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) microscopy systems, methods of making SPR microscopy systems, methods of measuring and detecting the presence of one or more compounds present in a sample using the SPR microscopy system, and the like, are disclosed. In an embodiment, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) microscopy system can include an integrated microfluidic chip that includes a plurality of layers, an SPR imaging system, and a pressure manifold to actuate flow control components in the integrated microfluidic chip.

Abstract: A wireless sensor network and data sensing method thereof are provided. A prediction model is established according to sensed data. When statistical value of the sensed data is within a user allowable range, the average value of the sensed data is returned to a user based on the prediction model. Alternatively, when the statistical value of the sensed data is beyond the user allowable range, actually sensed data is returned to the user based on the prediction model. In addition, the prediction model may further be dynamically updated according to subsequently received sensed data.

Abstract: A receiving device for a global positioning system and an antenna structure thereof. The receiving device includes a housing, a circuit board and the antenna structure. The circuit board is disposed inside the housing and has a ground portion and a signal feeding portion. The antenna structure is disposed inside the housing and includes a metal plate, a first electric conducting element and a second electric conducting element. The metal plate is used for receiving a GPS signal. The first electric conducting element has one end coupled to the metal plate, and the other end coupled to the ground portion of the circuit board. The second electric conducting element for feeding the GPS signal to the circuit board has one end coupled to the metal plate, and the other end coupled to the signal feeding portion of the circuit board.

Abstract: A gate structure for a semiconductor device is provided. The gate structure includes a conductive structure. The conductive structure insulatively disposed over a substrate includes a middle portion and two spacer portions. The middle portion has a first surface and two second surfaces. The first surface is between the two second surfaces. The two spacer portions are respectively connected to the two second surfaces of the middle portion. A width of each of the two spacer portions gradually increases from top to bottom.

Abstract: A method and device for adjusting communications power are used for detecting a communications condition between a connection port and a connection target, and a communications-supporting power of the connection port that includes at least one of a transmitting power and a receiving power is adjusted according to a detected communications condition. Therefore, accuracy of data transmission and reception is ensured, and power used for data transmission and reception is reduced.

Abstract: A receiver includes; a recovery circuit for receiving an input signal, and generating a data signal and a recovery clock; a processing circuit for processing the data signal to generate a processed signal; and a synchronization determining circuit for determining a synchronization state of the recovery clock according to the processed signal and a first reference value. The data signal includes a synchronous pattern, and the first reference value corresponds to at least a portion of a value in the synchronous pattern processed by the processing circuit. A method of the receiver is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for automated notification systems. A representative method, among others, can be summarized by the following steps: monitoring travel data in connection with a mobile thing (MT) that is destined to pickup or deliver an item or service at a stop location; causing initiation of a notification communication session with a personal communications device (PCD) based upon the travel data; and during the notification communication session, enabling a party associated with the PCD to change one or more tasks associated with the pickup or delivery. A representative system, among others, comprises a computer or other automated system that is programmed or designed to perform the foregoing steps.

Abstract: Aspects of a system and method for optimizing memory bandwidth in a video system may comprise examining different combinations of input and output video formats and video processes that occur between the input and output of the video system. For each combination, a desirable memory bandwidth may be determined, where the desirable memory bandwidth may ensure a maximum system data rate is not exceeded. After determining the desirable values for all combinations of input and output video formats, an optimal value may be selected, where the optimal value may ensure that for any of the combinations the maximum system data rate is not exceeded.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of systems, methods, and computer programs that facilitate haggling in an electronic commerce system. An average spread of a user is calculated, which is the average difference between an initial list price and a final transaction price among transactions in a transaction history. A rounds score is also calculated, which is based on the number of counteroffers extended by a user in the transaction history. A volume score is calculated and based on the volume of transactions a user has consummated in the transaction history. An abandonment score is calculated and based on the percentage of transactions the user has abandoned. A haggling rating is calculated and based on a combination of the average spread, the rounds score, the volume score, and the abandonment score, and represents an effectiveness of the user in haggling and completing transactions with other users.

Abstract: System and method for decoding digital video data. The decoding system employs hardware accelerators that assist a core processor in performing selected decoding tasks. The hardware accelerators are configurable to support a plurality of existing and future encoding/decoding formats. The accelerators are configurable to support substantially any existing or future encoding/decoding formats that fall into the general class of DCT-based, entropy decoded, block-motion-compensated compression algorithms. The hardware accelerators illustratively comprise a programmable entropy decoder, an inverse quantization module, a inverse discrete cosine transform module, a pixel filter, a motion compensation module and a de-blocking filter. The hardware accelerators function in a decoding pipeline wherein at any given stage in the pipeline, while a given function is being performed on a given macroblock, the next macroblock in the data stream is being worked on by the previous function in the pipeline.