Abstract: A method includes forming a first conductive feature, depositing a passivation layer on a sidewall and a top surface of the first conductive feature, etching the passivation layer to reveal the first conductive feature, and recessing a first top surface of the passivation layer to form a step. The step comprises a second top surface of the passivation layer. The method further includes forming a planarization layer on the passivation layer, and forming a second conductive feature extending into the passivation layer to contact the first conductive feature.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a vehicle are provided. A method for a vehicle includes coupling two motors to an axle. Furthermore, the method includes, at each of the two motors, setting a requested motor torque to a permitted motor torque in compliance with a threshold motor power, determining an unmet motor torque as a difference between the requested and the permitted motor torque, and balancing the unmet motor torque, including reducing the permitted motor torque at one or both of the two motors.

Abstract: A marking method on image combined with sound signal, a terminal apparatus, and a server are provided. In the method, a first image is displayed. A selection command is detected. A target sound signal is embedded into a speech signal so as to generate a combined sound signal. The combined sound signal is transmitted. The selection command corresponds to a target region in the first image, and the selection command is generated selecting the target region through an input operation. The target sound signal corresponds to the target region of the selection command, and the speech signal is obtained by receiving sound. Accordingly, all attendants in the video conference are able to make makings on a shared screen.

Abstract: A method, system, and article provide image processing with power reduction while using universal serial bus cameras.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thin film including a first thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) elastomer which is anhydride-grafted. The present disclosure further provides a method for manufacturing the thin film, a laminated material and a method for adhesion.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus, and tangible non-transitory carrier media encoded with one or more computer programs for classifying an item. In accordance with particular embodiments, a labeling task is issued to workers participating in a crowdsourcing system. The labeling task includes evaluating an inferred classification that includes one or more of the class labels in a hierarchical classification taxonomy based at least in part on a description of the item and the class labels in the classification. Evaluation decisions are received from the crowdsourcing system. The classification is validated based on the evaluation decisions to obtain a validation result. The validating includes applying at least one consensus criterion to an aggregation of the received evaluation decisions. Data corresponding to one or more of the class labels in the classification is routed to respective destinations based on the validation result.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing ferric carboxymaltose with weight average molecular weight between 100,000 and 400,000. The method includes reacting an oxidized maltodextrin solid with an iron (III) salt solution in acidic and basic conditions in sequence to afford ferric carboxymaltose, wherein the oxidized maltodextrin solid has a dextrose equivalent of less than 4. The ferric carboxymaltose prepared by the method can withstand high-temperature sterilization with high stability and facilitate storage.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing ferric carboxymaltose with weight average molecular weight between 100,000 and 400,000. The method includes reacting an oxidized maltodextrin solid with an iron (III) salt solution in acidic and basic conditions in sequence to afford ferric carboxymaltose, wherein the oxidized maltodextrin solid has a dextrose equivalent of less than 4. The ferric carboxymaltose prepared by the method can withstand high-temperature sterilization with high stability and facilitate storage.

Abstract: A contact lens has a core thick enough to accommodate a payload. The lens further has outer and inner coverings that cover parts of the core. Each covering is a thin layer of gas-permeable material shaped to form a respective cavity between the covering and the core. Oxygen passes through the outer covering to the outer cavity, through an air path within the core to the inner cavity, and through the inner covering to reach the cornea of the wearer's eye. To increase oxygen flow, a patterned structure is formed at an interface between the core and at least one of the outer and inner covering, comprising supports at which the core and covering contact, and recesses forming the cavity between the core and covering for oxygen flow. The outer and inner coverings may be made from different types of gas-permeable materials having different levels of gas-permeability and brittleness.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for providing automated intelligence in a support session. In one example, a method includes generating a set of tokens based on a text-based query posted by a support agent to a live chat thread; generating a set of vectors based on the set of tokens; extracting a set of features based on the set of tokens; generating a query vector based on the set of vectors and the set of features; determining a predicted intent of the text-based query based on the query vector, wherein the predicted intent is one of a plurality of predefined intents; determining a predicted answer to the text-based query based on: the query vector; and the predicted intent; and providing the predicted answer to the text-based query in the live chat thread.

Abstract: A contact lens has a core thick enough to accommodate a payload. The lens further has outer and inner coverings that cover parts of the core. Each covering is a thin layer of gas-permeable material shaped to form a respective cavity between the covering and the core. Oxygen passes through the outer covering to the outer cavity, through an air path within the core to the inner cavity, and through the inner covering to reach the cornea of the wearer's eye. To increase oxygen flow, a patterned structure is formed at an interface between the core and at least one of the outer and inner covering, comprising supports at which the core and covering contact, and recesses forming the cavity between the core and covering for oxygen flow. Because each recess spans only a short distance between supports, portions of the covering may be made thinner to improve oxygen flow.

Abstract: This application provides a voiceprint recognition method and device. The method includes: calculating, by an electronic device a first confidence value that an entered voice belongs to a first registered user, and calculating a second confidence value that the entered voice belongs to a second registered user. The method further includes: calculating, by another electronic device, a third confidence value that the entered voice belongs to the first registered user, and calculating a fourth confidence value that the entered voice belongs to the second registered user. A server determines, based on the first confidence value and the third confidence value, a fifth confidence value that a user is the first registered user, and determines, based on the second confidence value and the fourth confidence value, a sixth confidence value that the user is the second registered user.

Abstract: The amount of resources needed for an electronic device to track and/or interact with a user is reduced by utilizing a predicted relative position of that user. In some embodiments, a full 360° scan is performed using at least one image capture element to locate a primary direction to a user of the device. Once this direction is determined, a smaller range (e.g., 45°) centered around that direction can be used to capture, analyze, or provide information for the user. As the user moves, the determined direction is updated and the range adjusted accordingly. If the user moves outside the range, the device can increase the size of the range until the user is located, and the range can again be decreased around the determined direction. Such approaches limit the amount of image or audio information that must be captured and/or analyzed to track the relative position of a user.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine, an integrated starter/generator, and a transmission are described. In one example, transmission output torque and electric machine torque are adjusted while a brake pedal and accelerator pedal are contemporaneously applied.

Abstract: A contact lens has a core thick enough to accommodate a payload. The lens further has outer and inner coverings that cover parts of the core. Each covering is a thin layer of gas-permeable material shaped to form a respective cavity between the covering and the core. Oxygen passes through the outer covering to the outer cavity, through an air path within the core to the inner cavity, and through the inner covering to reach the cornea of the wearer's eye. To increase oxygen flow, a patterned structure is formed at an interface between the core and at least one of the outer and inner covering, comprising supports at which the core and covering contact, and recesses forming the cavity between the core and covering for oxygen flow. The outer and inner coverings may be made from different types of gas-permeable materials having different levels of gas-permeability and brittleness.

Abstract: A contact lens has a core thick enough to accommodate a payload. The lens further has outer and inner coverings that cover parts of the core. Each covering is a thin layer of gas-permeable material shaped to form a respective cavity between the covering and the core. Oxygen passes through the outer covering to the outer cavity, through an air path within the core to the inner cavity, and through the inner covering to reach the cornea of the wearer's eye. To increase oxygen flow, a patterned structure is formed at an interface between the core and at least one of the outer and inner covering, comprising supports at which the core and covering contact, and recesses forming the cavity between the core and covering for oxygen flow. Because each recess spans only a short distance between supports, portions of the covering may be made thinner to improve oxygen flow.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus, and tangible non-transitory carrier media encoded with one or more computer programs for classifying an item. In accordance with particular embodiments, a labeling task is issued to workers participating in a crowdsourcing system. The labeling task includes evaluating an inferred classification that includes one or more of the class labels in a hierarchical classification taxonomy based at least in part on a description of the item and the class labels in the classification. Evaluation decisions are received from the crowdsourcing system. The classification is validated based on the evaluation decisions to obtain a validation result. The validating includes applying at least one consensus criterion to an aggregation of the received evaluation decisions. Data corresponding to one or more of the class labels in the classification is routed to respective destinations based on the validation result.

Abstract: Various embodiments of an apparatus and method of multi-course infusion for brewing tea and other beverages are provided. In one aspect, a method of multi-course infusion for brewing tea and other beverages may receive, in an infusion chamber of an apparatus, an amount of beverage medium in dried state. The method may also provide steam into the infusion chamber to pre-condition the beverage medium. The method may further perform multi-course infusion of the beverage medium in hot water by repeating more than once a process that includes: showering hot water down onto the beverage medium in the infusion chamber, infusing the beverage medium in the hot water for some infusion time to form the beverage, providing steam into the infusion chamber while the beverage medium is infused in the hot water, drawing the beverage into one or more carafes after the infusion time has elapsed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine, an integrated starter/generator, and a transmission are described. In one example, transmission output torque and electric machine torque are adjusted while a brake pedal and accelerator pedal are contemporaneously applied.

Abstract: A method for managing power in a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain having multiple components including at least two of a group comprising an engine, a motor, a generator and a high voltage battery includes computing power losses for the individual components. An engine operating speed and torque for a given vehicle speed and total power command is determined so that total power losses for powertrain components are minimized.