Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product, include receiving a plurality of requests for dynamic context information from a plurality of road segments, determining whether the plurality of road segments are included in a same cluster of road segments in a road network generated by clustering road segments in the road network based on connectivity of the road network, and consolidating the plurality of requests to generate a consolidated request in response to determining that the plurality of road segments are included in the same cluster.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product, include receiving a plurality of requests for dynamic context information from a plurality of road segments, determining whether the plurality of road segments are included in a same cluster of road segments in a road network generated by clustering road segments in the road network based on connectivity of the road network, and consolidating the plurality of requests to generate a consolidated request in response to determining that the plurality of road segments are included in the same cluster.

Abstract: A system, a computer readable storage medium, and a method for detecting insurance fraud or for comparing references use visual analytics-based techniques. The method can include identifying a scratch and a scratch location on a vehicle in a 3-dimensional rendering in comparison to a base image or in comparison to a stored image in a database, comparing one or more features of the scratch such as color features of the scratch in the scratch location in comparison to the scratch location or comparing one or more texture features of the scratch in the scratch location in comparison to the scratch location in the base image or the stored image. The method can further generate a similarity calculation based on the one or more comparisons for the scratch, the scratch location, the one or more scratch features of the scratch and presents a result in response to the similarity calculation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a phototransistor (PT) comprising an emitter, a collector and a floating base; wherein the floating base, a p-n junction between the emitter and base (E-B junction) and a p-n junction between the base and the collector (B-C junction) are collectively in direct physical contact only with and completely encapsulated only by the emitter, the collector, and a section of a dielectric. Under an operating condition of the PT, a DC current density averaged over the E-B junction or a DC current density averaged over the B-C junction may be at least 100 times of a DC current density averaged over an opto-electronically active region of the PT. A sum of a capacitance of the E-B junction and a capacitance of the B-C junction may be less than 1 fF.

Abstract: Disclosed are a semiconductor photodiode (PD) or phototransistor (PT) photo detector with a unipolarly doped edge region containing a portion of the photon absorption layer and occupying over 99% of the photo detector area as projected on a plane parallel to the semiconductor substrate. Embodiments also relate to methods of making the photo detector.

Abstract: A preparing method of an aliphatic polycarbonate is provided to synthesize oligomer monomers by a transesterification reaction of carbonic acid dialkyl esters and aliphatic diols with accelerants in an atmosphere of a protective gas, and generate an aliphatic polycarbonate polymer by a polycondensation reaction of the oligomer monomers in a condition of high temperature and low pressure. According to the disclosure, environmentally friendly compounds with low boiling points and low costs are utilized as the accelerants to substitute the enzyme or acid-base catalysts to prepare aliphatic polycarbonate polymers in the prior art, and the cost is reduced; meanwhile, in the process of generating the aliphatic polycarbonate polymers, the accelerants can be removed from the reaction system along with the pressure reduced in the reaction system. The synthesis system is simple; moreover, the aliphatic polycarbonate obtained by the preparing method provided by the disclosure has merits such as superior colors.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product, include receiving a plurality of requests for dynamic context information from a plurality of road segments, determining whether the plurality of road segments are included in a same cluster of road segments in a road network generated by clustering road segments in the road network based on connectivity of the road network, and consolidating the plurality of requests to generate a consolidated request in response to determining that the plurality of road segments are included in the same cluster.

Abstract: A method of generating a predictor to classify data includes: training each of a plurality of first classifiers arranged in a first level on current training data; operating each classifier of the first level on the training data to generate a plurality of predictions; combining the current training data with the predictions to generated new training data; and training each of a plurality of second classifiers arranged in a second level on the new training data. The first classifiers are classifiers of different classifier types, respectively and the second classifiers are classifiers of the different classifier types, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is an optical modulator having high resolution and being capable of controlling a wavelength range of reflected/transmitted light. The optical modulator may include a plurality of nanostructures capable of changing refractive index and a first insulation layer surrounding the plurality of nanostructures. The refractive index of each of the nanostructures may be greater than that of the first insulation layer. The nanostructures may modulate light depending on a change in the refractive index thereof. A change in a resonance wavelength, intensity, phase, polarization, etc. of reflected/transmitted light may be generated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a battery charger can include: (i) a step-up converter configured to generate an output signal by boosting a DC input voltage, where a threshold voltage is greater than the DC input voltage; (ii) a charging control circuit configured to receive the output signal from the step-up converter, and to control charging of a battery; (iii) the charging control circuit being configured to regulate the output signal to maintain a charging current for the battery charging as a trickle current when a battery voltage is less than the threshold voltage; and (iv) the charging control circuit being configured to charge the battery directly by the output signal when the battery voltage is greater than the threshold voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are high efficiency, low loss AC-DC power supply circuits, and associated control methods. In one embodiment, an AC-DC power supply circuit can include: (i) a rectifier configured to rectify an AC power supply to generate a DC input voltage; (ii) a first stage voltage converter configured to convert the DC input voltage to a first output voltage, and to convert a first control signal to a feedback signal that represents the first output voltage; and (iii) a second stage voltage converter configured to convert the first output voltage to a constant DC output signal, where the first control signal represents a duty cycle of the second stage voltage converter.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are circuits and methods for limiting a charger input current. In one embodiment, a self-adaptive input power charger for charging a battery, can include: (i) a power stage circuit configured to receive an external input power supply that supplies an input voltage and an input current to the charger; (ii) a comparison circuit configured to generate a comparison result indicating that the input power supply has entered a current-limiting state when the input voltage is less than a first reference voltage; (iii) a current regulation circuit configured to generate a first control signal in response to the comparison result; and (iv) a driving control circuit configured to limit the input current by the first control signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a phototransistor (PT) comprising an emitter, a collector, a floating base, wherein the PT is configured to detect a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being lower than one single photon within f, or wherein the PT is configured to detect a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being below a photon shot noise of the photon flux within f, or wherein the PT is configured to detect a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux is 1/?{square root over (?)} of a photon shot noise of the photon flux within f, or wherein the PT is capable of detecting a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being below 2f, or wherein the PT is capable of detecting a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being 2f/?, wherein f is an electrical bandwidth of the PT and ? is a current amplification gain of the PT.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a phototransistor (PT) comprising an emitter, a collector, a floating base, wherein the PT is configured to detect a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being lower than one single photon within f, or wherein the PT is configured to detect a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being below a photon shot noise of the photon flux within f, or wherein the PT is configured to detect a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux is 1/?{square root over (?)} of a photon shot noise of the photon flux within f, or wherein the PT is capable of detecting a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being below 2f, or wherein the PT is capable of detecting a photon flux incident on the PT and the photon flux being 2f/?, wherein f is an electrical bandwidth of the PT and ? is a current amplification gain of the PT.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a power factor correction (PFC) controller. In one embodiment, a boost PFC controller configured in an AC/DC converter can include: (i) a conductive signal generator configured to receive a first sampling signal, and to generate a conductive signal according to the first sampling signal and a first control signal; (ii) a shutdown signal generator configured to compare a second control signal against a third control signal, and to generate a shutdown signal when the second control signal reaches a level of the third control signal; and (iii) a logic controller coupled to the conductive signal generator and the shutdown signal generator to control a switching state of a power switch in AC/DC converter.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a boost power factor correction (PFC) controller. In one embodiment, a boost PFC controller for an AC/DC converter can include: an off signal generator that compares an inductor current sample signal against a first control signal, where the inductor current sample signal increases during an on time of a power switch of the AC/DC converter, and the off signal generator generates an off signal when the inductor current sample signal reaches the first control signal level; and an on signal generator that compares a second control signal against a third control signal, where the second control signal increases during the off time of the power switch, and the on signal generator generates an on signal when the second control signal reaches the third control signal level.

Abstract: Disclosed are synchronous rectifying control methods and circuits for an isolated switching power supply. In one embodiment, a method can include: (i) generating a ramp voltage based on a power terminal voltage, where the power terminal voltage includes a voltage between first and second power terminals of a synchronous rectifier in the isolated switching power supply; (ii) determining whether the power terminal voltage starts declining; (iii) comparing the ramp voltage to a threshold voltage when the power terminal voltage starts to decline, where the threshold voltage substantially matches a minimum conduction time of the synchronous rectifier; (iv) reducing the ramp voltage and controlling the synchronous rectifier in an off state when the ramp voltage is lower than the threshold voltage; and (v) reducing the ramp voltage and controlling the synchronous rectifier in on state when the ramp voltage is higher than the threshold voltage.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a battery charger can include: (i) a step-up converter configured to generate an output signal by boosting a DC input voltage, where a threshold voltage is greater than the DC input voltage; (ii) a charging control circuit configured to receive the output signal from the step-up converter, and to control charging of a battery; (iii) the charging control circuit being configured to regulate the output signal to maintain a charging current for the battery charging as a trickle current when a battery voltage is less than the threshold voltage; and (iv) the charging control circuit being configured to charge the battery directly by the output signal when the battery voltage is greater than the threshold voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are circuits and methods for limiting a charger input current. In one embodiment, a self-adaptive input power charger for charging a battery, can include: (i) a power stage circuit configured to receive an external input power supply that supplies an input voltage and an input current to the charger; (ii) a comparison circuit configured to generate a comparison result indicating that the input power supply has entered a current-limiting state when the input voltage is less than a first reference voltage; (iii) a current regulation circuit configured to generate a first control signal in response to the comparison result; and (iv) a driving control circuit configured to limit the input current by the first control signal.