Abstract: A time of flight (TOF) ranging system includes multiple emitters, each emitting a signal whose intensity, amplitude or polarization is modulated by a corresponding delayed modulation signal. Each delayed modulation signal is a delayed version of a time varying multi-valued modulation signal, the amount of delay being determined by a spatial position of the emitter and direction of a target point on the target. The signal reflected by the target is correlated with the original modulation signal to generate an output having a peak representing the TOF to the target point. The same process is performed to detect other target points. Another TOF ranging system includes one emitter and multiple detectors; the signal from each detector is delayed in a similar manner and their sum is correlated with the original modulation signal to generate an output representing TOF. Yet another TOF ranging system includes multiple emitters and multiple detectors.

Abstract: An in-vehicle power supply system includes multiple power cells of identical mechanical size, multiple power pods each holding multiple power cells, and a mechanical transport system to move and exchange power cells with pumps at power cell exchange and charging stations. Each power cell and each power pod includes a control unit and a power converter with a magnetic core. The power cells held by a power pod are arranged parallel to each other and coupled to the power pod by magnetic field coupling. Power is transferred between the power pod and the power cells bidirectionally using magnetic field of different frequencies, and data and commands are communicated between them using magnetic field of another different frequency. Load balancing among power cells within a power pod and among power pods can be achieved. The structure of the power cell exchange and charging stations is also described.

Abstract: Detectors and detection systems are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first plurality of the sensing elements and a second plurality of the sensing elements, and a plurality of sections configured to connect the first plurality to an output, and connect the second plurality to an output. Switching regions may be provided between the sensing elements that are configured to connect two or more sensing elements. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy and/or beam intensity.

Abstract: Detectors and detection systems are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a detector comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of sensing elements including a first sensing element and a second sensing element, wherein at least the first sensing element is formed in a triangular shape. The detector may include a switching region configured to connect the first sensing 5 element and the second sensing element. There may also be provided a plurality of sections including a first section connecting a first plurality of sensing elements to a first output and a second section connecting a second plurality of sensing elements to a second output. The section may be provided in a hexagonal shape.

Abstract: A composite fabric having self-regulating Infrared emissivity includes meta fibers formed with optical nanostructures and an environment (temperature and/or moisture) responsive mechanism configured to adjust a relative disposition between the optical structures to control the electromagnetic coupling therebetween, thus regulating the infrared emissivity of the composite fabric to maintain a user of the fabric in a temperature/moisture comfort zone. The environment responsive mechanism may include a temperature responsive polymer layer on the fiber capable of expansion/shrinkage depending on the applied temperature, or a moisture responsive fiber changing its shape depending on the moisture level to affect spacing between the optical nanostructures.

Abstract: A method for cross-platform synchronization of contacts in a multi-platform environment is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a contact to be associated with an account in a social platform; acquiring an account of a friend associated with the contact in the social platform, and binding a phone number of the contact with the associated account of the friend in the social platform; and uploading the phone number and the account in the social platform bound together to a server. When it needs to view social information of a contact, the above method can simplify user operation, reduce time spent for operation in the mobile terminal and increase the battery life of the mobile terminal. Furthermore, a device for cross-platform synchronization of contacts in a multi-platform environment is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an image forming element having a semiconductor chip with micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) devices and voltage generators, each voltage generator being configured to generate a voltage used by one or more of the MEMS devices. A floating ground may be used to add a voltage to the voltage generated by the voltage generators. The semiconductor chip may include electrical connections, where each voltage generator is configured to provide the voltage to the one or more MEMS devices through the electrical connections. The MEMS devices may define a boundary in the semiconductor chip within which the MEMS devices, the voltage generators, and the electrical connections are located. Each MEMS device may generate an electrostatic field to manipulate an electron beamlet of a multi-beam charged particle microscope. The MEMS devices may be organized into groups based on a distance to a reference location (e.g., optical axis) in the semiconductor chip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a post-processing method for improving anti-wear and friction-reducing properties of a CrN coating. According to the method, the CrN coating is subjected to a thermal cycling treatment in a temperature range of ?20° C. to 60° C. under a humidity environment of 60%-80% R.H. The post-processing method can substantially improve the anti-wear and friction-reducing properties of the CrN coating, so that friction pair parts deposited with the coating achieve a stable operation for a long time.

Abstract: A multi-cell detector may include a first layer having a region of a first conductivity type and a second layer including a plurality of regions of a second conductivity type. The second layer may also include one or more regions of the first conductivity type. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be partitioned from one another by the one or more regions of the first conductivity type of the second layer. The plurality of regions of the second conductivity type may be spaced apart from one or more regions of the first conductivity type in the second layer. The detector may further include an intrinsic layer between the first and second layers.

Abstract: A detector may be provided with a sensing element or an array of sensing elements, each of the sensing elements may have a corresponding gain element. A substrate may be provided having a sensing element and a gain element integrated together. The gain element may include a section in which, along a direction perpendicular to an incidence direction of an electron beam, a region of first conductivity is provided adjacent to a region of second conductivity, and a region of third conductivity may be provided adjacent to the region of second conductivity. The sensing element may include a section in which, along the incidence direction, a region of fourth conductivity is provided adjacent to an intrinsic region of the substrate, and the region of second conductivity may be provided adjacent to the intrinsic region.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element. The detector comprises a switching element configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element. The detector comprises a switching element configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

Abstract: A washing machine including: a first drainage pump arranged between a washing drum and a filter membrane assembly. The first drainage pump pumps water in the washing drum into the filter membrane assembly for filtration and ensures that a water level in a water inlet cavity of the filter membrane assembly is not higher than a lower edge of a sewage outlet, so as to prevent reduce of the amount of washing water due to drainage of excessive washing water/rinsing water. Since the first drainage pump is a low-lift water pump, water in the filter membrane assembly moves continuously during filtration, so as to scour pollutants on a surface of a filter membrane/membrane filament, reduce an accumulation degree of the pollutants, effectively prevent blockage and achieve low noise.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for charged particle detection. The detection system can comprise a signal processing circuit configured to generate a set of intensity gradients based on electron intensity data received from a plurality of electron sensing elements. The detection system can further comprise a beam spot processing module configured to determine, based on the set of intensity gradients, at least one boundary of a beam spot; and determine, based on the at least one boundary, that a first set of electron sensing elements of the plurality of electron sensing elements is within the beam spot. The beam spot processing module can further be configured to determine an intensity value of the beam spot based on the electron intensity data received from the first set of electron sensing elements and also generate an image of a wafer based on the intensity value.

Abstract: A detector may be provided with an array of sensing elements. The detector may include a semiconductor substrate including the array, and a circuit configured to count a number of charged particles incident on the detector. The circuit of the detector may be configured to process outputs from the plurality of sensing elements and increment a counter in response to a charged particle arrival event on a sensing element of the array. Various counting modes may be used. Counting may be based on energy ranges. Numbers of charged particles may be counted at a certain energy range and an overflow flag may be set when overflow is encountered in a sensing element. The circuit may be configured to determine a time stamp of respective charged particle arrival events occurring at each sensing element. Size of the sensing element may be determined based on criteria for enabling charged particle counting.

Abstract: Provided are garments that comprise thermally-conductive materials, the materials comprising a heat-collecting coating disposed on a fibrous base material having a thermally-conductive additive dispersed within. Also provided are methods of fabricating thermally-conductive garments.

Abstract: A multilayer fabric includes at least a first woven fabric layer and a second woven fabric layer tacked to the first woven fabric layer. The first woven fabric layer provides a first functionality to the multilayer fabric, the second woven fabric layer provides a second functionality to the multilayer fabric, and the first functionality is different than the second functionality. A method for forming a multilayer fabric includes weaving a first fabric layer on a loom, the first fabric layer having a first functionality, weaving at least a second fabric layer on the loom, the second fabric layer having a second functionality different than the first functionality, and tacking the second fabric layer to the first fabric layer while the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are on the loom. The multilayer fabric may include multiple fabric layers, such as from 2 to 8 fabric layers.

Abstract: The desktop data of a first mobile terminal may be acquired. Then, a local folder is created for a terminal application according to a desktop layout file in the desktop data, and an identifier is set. A mapping relationship between identifiers of new and original folders is established. Then, an installation package of the terminal application is traversed to determine whether the terminal application is installed locally. If yes, a local folder to which the terminal application belongs is determined according to the mapping relationship, installation information of the terminal application is placed in the determined local folder, and an icon of the terminal application is displayed at a corresponding location on a local desktop according to location information of the terminal application.

Abstract: A method for cross-platform synchronization of contacts in a multi-platform environment is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a contact to be associated with an account in a social platform; acquiring an account of a friend associated with the contact in the social platform, and binding a phone number of the contact with the associated account of the friend in the social platform; and uploading the phone number and the account in the social platform bound together to a server. When it needs to view social information of a contact, the above method can simplify user operation, reduce time spent for operation in the mobile terminal and increase the battery life of the mobile terminal. Furthermore, a device for cross-platform synchronization of contacts in a multi-platform environment is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for preparing nanodiamond-containing thermoplastic fibers and filaments having diamond particles substantially uniformly distributed throughout. The process comprises melt extruding a material comprising a thermoplastic polymer and from about 0.001% to about 0.25% by weight nanosized diamond particles. The present disclosure also relates to yarns and fabrics comprising the nanodiamond-containing thermoplastic fibers or filaments, and to garments comprising these yarns and/or fabrics. Yarns and fabrics comprising nanodiamond-containing thermoplastic fibers and filaments have been found to have enhanced thermal properties, enhanced mechanical properties, and/or enhanced softness.