Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a gate stack disposed over a substrate. A first L-shaped spacer is disposed along a first sidewall of the gate stack and a second L-shaped spacer is disposed along a second sidewall of the gate stack. The first L-shaped spacer and the second L-shaped spacer include silicon and carbon. A first source/drain epitaxy region and a second source/drain epitaxy region are disposed over the substrate. The gate stack is disposed between the first source/drain epitaxy region and the second source/drain epitaxy region. An interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over the substrate. The ILD layer is disposed between the first source/drain epitaxy region and a portion of the first L-shaped spacer disposed along the first sidewall of the gate stack and between the second source/drain epitaxy region and a portion of the second L-shaped spacer disposed along the second sidewall of the gate stack.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a vehicle operating system (VOS) that can be partially ported to different types of microcontroller units (MCUs) includes at least one multiprocessor unit (MPU) with an operating system kernel running thereon, and at least one microcontroller unit (MCU) with multiple cores. Each core includes a set of unified application programming interfaces (APIs) for loading one or more MCU drivers corresponding to a type of the MCU, and one or more I/O drivers corresponding to a type of each of the one or more I/O devices associated with the MCU. The set of unified APIs includes at least one API for each service, and can vertically integrate a device path for the service from a hardware layer of the core to the service layer of the core. The VOS further includes multiple pairs of hardware-protected memories associated with each core to enable interprocess communication between the cores.

Abstract: A multiprocessor unit (MPU) in an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) can provide hard real-time performance. In an embodiment, the MPU can include a hypervisor used to virtualize multiple cores of the MPU, which can further be partitioned into two sets of cores that are isolated from each other. The first set of cores are designated to run real-time related services as trusted applications directly on the hypervisor, and the real-time related services are given higher priority than kernel-level threads on the first set of cores. The second set of cores are designated to run a kernel of an operating system (e.g., Linux). Further, the kernel is patched using a hard real-time open source package to achieve hard real-time performance. An open source package can be used for interprocess communication (IPC) between different electronic control units (ECU) in the ADV.

Abstract: A method includes forming a transistor, which includes forming a dummy gate stack over a semiconductor region, and forming an Inter-Layer Dielectric (ILD). The dummy gate stack is in the ILD, and the ILD covers a source/drain region in the semiconductor region. The method further includes removing the dummy gate stack to form a trench in the first ILD, forming a low-k gate spacer in the trench, forming a replacement gate dielectric extending into the trench, forming a metal layer to fill the trench, and performing a planarization to remove excess portions of the replacement gate dielectric and the metal layer to form a gate dielectric and a metal gate, respectively. A source region and a drain region are then formed on opposite sides of the metal gate.

Abstract: Aspects herein provide for a knit component having a tubular rib knit structure that extends away from a base portion of the knit component. The tubular rib knit structure includes at least a first portion extending along a longitudinal side of the tubular rib knit structure, where the first portion exhibits a first visual effect at a first area of the knit component and exhibits a second visual effect at a second area of the knit component.

Abstract: Aspects herein provide for a knit component having a tubular rib knit structure that extends away from a base portion of the knit component. The tubular rib knit structure includes at least a first portion extending along a longitudinal side of the tubular rib knit structure, where the first portion exhibits a first visual effect at a first area of the knit component and exhibits a second visual effect at a second area of the knit component.

Abstract: An adjustable height balance beam includes an elongate member; opposing upper and lower support columns; opposing base bars; wherein opposing attachment zones of the elongate member are configured for selective attachment to each of the opposing upper support columns, defining a first configuration, and wherein each of the opposing lower support columns is configured for attachment to the corresponding opposing base bars, and the respective opposing base bars, defining a second configuration, for selective height adjustment of the elongate bar relative to the opposing base bars; wherein the height of the elongate bar relative to the opposing base bars may be selectively adjusted when in the first configuration by aligning tension knob ports on the lower support column with a correspondingly selected one of the plurality of linearly displaced apertures on the upper support column to form an aligned attachment channel that is configured for receipt of the tension knob.

Abstract: Aspects herein provide for a knit component having a tubular rib knit structure that extends away from a base portion of the knit component. The tubular rib knit structure includes at least a first portion extending along a longitudinal side of the tubular rib knit structure, where the first portion exhibits a first visual effect at a first area of the knit component and exhibits a second visual effect at a second area of the knit component.

Abstract: An adjustable height balance beam includes an elongate member; opposing upper and lower support columns; opposing base bars; wherein opposing attachment zones of the elongate member are configured for selective attachment to each of the opposing upper support columns, defining a first configuration, and wherein each of the opposing lower support columns is configured for attachment to the corresponding opposing base bars, and the respective opposing base bars, defining a second configuration, for selective height adjustment of the elongate bar relative to the opposing base bars; wherein the height of the elongate bar relative to the opposing base bars may be selectively adjusted when in the first configuration by aligning tension knob ports on the lower support column with a correspondingly selected one of the plurality of linearly displaced apertures on the upper support column to form an aligned attachment channel that is configured for receipt of the tension knob.

Abstract: A network station system with functions of medial register number and medical messages informing comprises a server having a memory, a CPU, and input/output devices; at least one electronic device of a medical organization; the electronic device being connected to the server; the medical messages including the current register number, the predicted treating speed, the related information about the medical organization, the working time of the doctors; a central network unit; the central network unit being connected to the at least one electronic device for receiving the information from the electronic device; these information being displayed or transferred to those needed these information; and at least one patient computer device connected to the central network unit. A patient receives information of register numbers, medical information of medical organizations and advertisements from wired or wireless transmission so as to predict the timing for going to the medical organization.

Abstract: A coffee maker includes a body provided with a water storing space and a handle, and a heater positioned under the water storing space. The heater is made of an insulating plate and an electrically heating film formed on a lower surface of the insulating plate. Then the heat generated by the electrically heating film heats up the water in the water storing space of the body for making coffee.

Abstract: A system for initiating and maintaining a real time audio or video media session between two clients, at least one of which has a private network IP address and is supported by a NAT firewall, comprises a proxy server serving each client and a relay server. The first proxy server may receive an invite message from a caller client to initiate a media session with a callee client. The invite message will identify the IP address and media port number of the caller client. The proxy server queries the relay server to obtain a port number of the relay server that may be used for relaying the media session between the caller client and the callee client. The proxy server will replace the IP address and port number of the caller client with the IP address and port number of the relay server in the invite message before forwarding to the callee client.

Abstract: A data queue optimized for receiving loosely packed graphics data and suitable for use in a computer graphics system is described. The data queue operates on first-in-first-out principals, and has a variable width input and output. The variable width on the input side facilitates the reception and storage of loosely packed data. The variable width output allows for the single-cycle output of multi-word data. Packing of the data occurs on the write-side of the FIFO structure.

Abstract: A graphics system and method for processing geometry compressed, three-dimensional graphics data are disclosed. After transforming and lighting each vertex, a vertex data stream is decompressed using connectivity information, and vertexes are reassembled into geometric primitives. The connectivity information may include mesh buffer references, vertex tags, or other types of information. Independent buffers, queues, and/or caches are used to simultaneously store: (a) vertex data for the next several primitives, (b) vertex data that will be reused, (c) vertex tags, (d) control tags, (e) vertex data being assembled into a primitive, and (f) an assembled primitive ready to be launched. The assembled primitive may be clip tested for visibility in a defined viewport, before investing time to have the primitive processed into pixel data for display. The independent buffers, queues, and/or caches may also enable the vertex processing steps to be performed in parallel and at different rates.

Abstract: A solar tracking storage system includes a solar collector, a gear mechanism, a control box, a light sensitive switch, a wind gauge, and a GPS receiver. Thus, when the car stops, the solar tracking storage system can track, receive and store the solar energy with the optimum efficiency. In addition, the microprocessor outputs signals to the motor controller to drive the gear mechanism to adjust the orientation and pitch of the solar collector so as to track the sun, so that the solar collector is kept vertical to the sun, thereby obtaining the optimum efficiency.

Abstract: A graphics system and method for processing geometry compressed, three-dimensional graphics data are disclosed. After transforming and lighting each vertex, a vertex data stream is decompressed using connectivity information, and vertexes are reassembled into geometric primitives. The connectivity information may include mesh buffer references, vertex tags, or other types of information. Independent buffers, queues, and/or caches are used to simultaneously store: (a) vertex data for the next several primitives, (b) vertex data that will be reused, (c) vertex tags, (d) control tags, (e) vertex data being assembled into a primitive, and (f) an assembled primitive ready to be launched. The assembled primitive may be clip tested for visibility in a defined viewport, before investing time to have the primitive processed into pixel data for display. The independent buffers, queues, and/or caches may also enable the vertex processing steps to be performed in parallel and at different rates.

Abstract: A data queue optimized for receiving loosely packed graphics data and suitable for use in a computer graphics system is described. The data queue operates on first-in-first-out principals, and has a variable width input and output. The variable width on the input side facilitates the reception and storage of loosely packed data. The variable width output allows for the single-cycle output of multi-word data. Packing of the data occurs on the write-side of the FIFO structure.

Abstract: A method and computer graphics system for clip testing using clip bits stored in a general-purpose register for each vertex of a geometric primitive. In one embodiment, a rendering unit or other processor sets bits in a clip bits register for each vertex of a geometric primitive. Each bit indicates whether the vertex is inside or outside of a clipping boundary with respect to a particular clipping plane. A frame buffer controller or other graphics processor performs clip testing on the entire geometric primitive by performing Boolean operations on the clip bits. The frame buffer controller may trivially accept or trivially reject the primitive based on the clip testing. If the primitive cannot be trivially rejected or trivially accepted, then the frame buffer controller sends an interrupt to the rendering unit. The rendering unit reads an exception register to determine that the reason for the interrupt is the need to clip the primitive.