Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a silicide layer is formed after the fabrication of a functional gate electrode using a gate-last scheme. An initial semiconductor structure has at least one impurity regions formed on a semiconductor substrate, a sacrifice film formed over the impurity region, an isolation layer formed over the sacrifice film and a dielectric layer formed over the isolation film. A via is patterned into the dielectric layer of the initial semiconductor structure and through the thickness of the isolation layer such that a contact opening is formed in the isolation layer. The sacrifice film underlying the isolation layer is then removed leaving a void space underlying the isolation layer. Then, a metal silicide precursor is placed within the void space, and the metal silicide precursor is converted to a silicide layer through an annealing process.

Abstract: An antenna device includes a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, arranged in parallel with the first conductive plate, which has at least one slot formed thereon, a power feeding element located between the first and second conductive plates to feed power to the first conductive plate, and a shutter configured to be movable to close/open the slot of the second conductive plate.

Abstract: A control system development platform is provided. The platform includes a shell component adapted to support development of a control systems application. An abstract model is associated with the shell component to facilitate development of the control systems applications.

Abstract: A receiving unit receives a processing request from a client, requesting acquisition of data including a plurality of elements from a database. An acquiring unit acquires first data and data structure information from the database in response to the first processing request. A generating unit replaces a first element with a first identifier and generates a second data including the first identifier and the second elements. A transmitting unit transmits the second data to the client.

Abstract: A method of recovering petroleum from dormant oil wells or increasing the production of oil wells. An alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate is introduced into a water layer associated with a subterranean petroleum reservoir and/or an explosive composition is introduced into an oil layer associated with a subterranean petroleum reservoir. CO2 gas is produced by reacting the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate with an acid and/or by detonating the explosive composition.

Abstract: The invention facilitates adaptive compression of multi-level images, such as captured digital images of a whiteboard, etc., encoding a bitstream comprising a color image component and a black-and-white image component. Either or both of a color and a black-and-white image can be output to a user based on user desires, receiving device capabilities, etc.

Abstract: A memory system is provided. The system includes a controller that regulates read and write access to one or more FLASH memory devices that are employed for random access memory applications. A buffer component operates in conjunction with the controller to regulate read and write access to the one or more FLASH devices. Wear leveling components along with read and write processing components are provided to facilitate efficient operations of the FLASH memory devices.

Abstract: Communication environment switchover may be provided. A received signal strength level may be determined corresponding to a signal sent from a first device and received at a second device. The received signal strength level may be measured at the second device. In addition, the first device may be re-provisioned. For example, the first device may be re-provisioned to communicate in a second environment if the first device is provisioned to communicate in a first environment and if the received signal strength level is greater than a first threshold value. Furthermore, the first device to be re-provisioned to communicate in the first environment if the first device is provisioned to communicate in the second environment and if the received signal strength level is less than a second threshold value. The second threshold value may be less than the first threshold value.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device of the invention includes: a semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer and having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite to the first major surface; a phosphor layer facing to the first major surface; an interconnect layer provided on the second major surface side and including a conductor and an insulator; and a light-blocking member provided on a side surface of the semiconductor layer and being opaque to light emitted from the light-emitting layer.

Abstract: A position detecting system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a moving machine capable of moving along a predetermined path, plural storage media configured to store position information and arranged in parallel along the path, and a reading unit provided on the moving machine side and configured to read the position information of the storage media arranged in a reading range corresponding to the reading unit.

Abstract: Information stored in a corporate database is monitored and used to determine when certain business-related events have occurred. Event information is transmitted over the Internet to a print production facility, where it is used to fire one or more event rules, which in turn automatically generate print requisitions or print production orders. In one variation, print requisitions are routed through an existing and commercially available procurement system before a print production order is generated. The system can monitor and handle events from multiple corporations, each having its own business-related event rules, and each potentially having its own procurement approval system.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a code reading apparatus includes an image capturing section configured to capture an image picked up by an image pickup section; a code reading section configured to detect a code symbol included in the captured image and read code information corresponding to the code symbol; an image comparing section configured to compare, if the code information read this time and code information read before this time and most recently are the same, images related to the reading of the pieces of code information; and an output section configured to output the read code information and, if the images are similar as a result of the comparison of the images, regard the code information read this time as code information read twice and suppress output of the code information.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for creating codewords using common partial parity products. The method initially accepts an algorithm for creating p indexed parity bit positions, where the parity bit for each position is calculated from mathematical operations performed on bits from n indexed user word positions. A first group of parity bit positions is found, where the parity bit for each position in the first group is calculated using at least a first number of common mathematical operations. A second group of parity bit positions is found, where the parity bit for each position in the second group is calculated using at least a second number of common mathematical operations. The common mathematical operations are subtracted from the first and second group of parity bit position calculations, so that unique mathematical operations can be found, associated with each parity bit position calculation in the first and second group.

Abstract: An image pick-up apparatus is provided, which is provided with a recording medium, a image processing unit, a display, and a controlling unit. The recording medium stores plural continuous image frames of one scene. The image processing unit adds and combines a predetermined number of image frames among the plural image frames stored in the recording medium to successively produce image frames H for reproduction. The display switches the image frames for reproduction at a reproducing frame rate to reproduce a moving image. The controlling unit sets the number of image frames to be added and combined by the image processing unit in accordance with a reproducing speed of the moving image, whereby the moving image is reproduced with noises reduced at various reproducing speeds.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) display apparatus includes an image generation subsystem (IGS) for generating at least one two-dimensional (2D) image and providing filtered rays derived from the at least one 2D image to an optical element for modulating the filtered rays and producing a 3D image, wherein the filtered rays comprise limited overlap of pixel information. A method and a computer program product for generating 3D images are provided.

Abstract: A system (and corresponding methodology) for testing, evaluating and diagnosing quality of solar concentrator optics is provided. The innovation discloses mechanisms for evaluating the performance and quality of a solar collector via emission of modulated laser radiation upon (or near) a position of photovoltaic (PV) cells. The innovation discloses positioning two receivers at two distances from the source (e.g., solar collector or dish). These receivers are employed to collect modulated light which can be compared to standards or other thresholds thereby diagnosing quality of the collectors.

Abstract: An automation collaborative framework (ACF) is provided. The ACF includes an abstract automated model (AAM) that defines a generic data management scheme. The AAM is extended so as to define an extended data management scheme according to control solutions received from a user. A concrete automation model (CAM) then implements a concrete data management scheme, in which the concrete data management scheme is derived as a function of the generic data management scheme and the extended data management scheme.

Abstract: A system for providing secure document distribution is disclosed.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a hand scanner including a head section having a reading section configured to read a mark affixed to a commodity and a handle having width formed smaller than that of the head section, a fixing device including a holding section having, from a part of the periphery to the center thereof, an opening formed wider than the width of the handle and movable sections provided to be opposed to each other in the opening, arranged to have width therebetween smaller than the width of the handle, and configured to move until the width therebetween increases to width same as or larger than the width of the handle when the handle is inserted through the opening, and control unit configured to enable the reading section to read the commodity according to movement of the movable sections.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies for sharing functionality among mobile devices in a peer to peer manner are described herein. A mobile device can include a plurality of functional components that can each perform respective functionality. Examples of the functionalities can include transceiver communications, processing, power, memory, input and output for the mobile device. Further, the mobile device can include a sharing component that enables sharing a particular third party functional component to replace or supplement operation of a corresponding functional component of the mobile device. The third party functional component, for instance, can be made available for sharing by at least one of a disparate mobile device or a stand alone functional component. Moreover, a host component can allow a disparate mobile device to use an available one or more of the plurality of functional components of the mobile device.