Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure, and the resultant structure. The method includes forming an oxide layer above a substrate. The method includes forming a metal layer above the oxide layer. The method includes forming a first capping layer above the metal layer. A material forming the first capping layer may be titanium oxide, or titanium oxynitride. The method includes annealing the semiconductor structure. Annealing the semiconductor structure may result in diffusing a metal from the metal layer into the oxide layer.

Abstract: An embodiment of a system for managing energy identifies a plurality of groups of virtual machines in a computer system and allocates the energy in the computer system for a next time interval to a plurality of groups of virtual machines based on an energy budget and a policy selected from a set of policies in conjunction with a minimum energy, a group priority and a virtual machine priority.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is achieved by providing a copolymer, in particular, a block copolymer which has excellent coating formation ability, adhesive properties to a substrate, and does not adsorb protein; an antithrombotic coating agent which has superior antithrombotic properties and adhesive properties to a substrate to those of the conventional antithrombotic coating agent; and a medical instrument which is obtained by coating the antithrombotic coating agent, and the block copolymer includes a polymer (A) containing a (meth)acrylic ester monomer and a polymer (B) containing a (meth)acrylamide monomer and has excellent coating formation ability and high adhesive properties to a substrate.

Abstract: A standard for performing an operation associated with an input object is changed in order to avoid an erroneous operation. When data based on the press detected by a press detection unit satisfies a predetermined standard, a control unit configured to perform the operation associated with the input object changes the predetermined standard of the input object based on a frequency of use of the operation associated with the input object.

Abstract: This organic electroluminescent element is manufactured by using an anthracene derivative having a pyridyl aryl group substituted with an alkyl represented by formula (1) as an electron transport material, and satisfies characteristics such as the following in an adequate and well-balanced manner: improves the external quantum efficiency of the light-emitting element, which is generally required by the electron transport material; reduces the drive voltage of the light-emitting element; and increases the life of the element. (In formula (1), Ar is a divalent or trivalent benzene or naphthalene; R is hydrogen or an alkyl with a carbon number of 1 to 6, but all of the Rs never simultaneously form hydrogen; and R1 to R4 are, individually, hydrogen, an alkyl with a carbon number of 1 to 6, a cycloalkyl with a carbon number of 3 to 6, or an aryl with a carbon number of 6 to 20.

Abstract: A system and method for fabricating a memory array device. An example memory array device includes a plurality of memory cells, each including a FET over a substrate and a memory element over the FET. Each memory element includes a plurality of epitaxially grown memory element layers. The memory elements formed utilizing two etches through all epitaxially grown layers. Each of these etches can be split to two separate processes specific to CMOS transistor etch and to memory element etch. The memory array device includes a plurality of gate conductors configured along a first axis, in parallel. Each FET of the memory cells adjacent to two gate conductors. The memory array device includes a plurality of bit lines configured along a second axis, in parallel, and electrically coupled to a plurality of memory elements along the second axis.

Abstract: A combo-jack detecting circuit for used in an audio CODEC is provided. The combo-jack detecting circuit comprises a low pass filter, a detecting unit and a switch unit. Without coupling capacitor between an audio apparatus and audio codec, the output direct current voltage of the audio apparatus can be provided by the low pass filter. The switch unit is configured to switch selectively for outputting two voltage signals to the low pass filter sequentially. The low pass filter provides two direct current signals so that the detecting unit determines a jack type of the sounding signal apparatus accordingly. By means of proper design, input buffers in the audio codec can transform a common mode voltage of the audio apparatus into a common mode voltage of the audio codec.

Abstract: An object (e.g., a driver's license) is tested for authenticity using imagery captured by a consumer device (e.g., a mobile phone camera). Corresponding data is sent from the consumer device to a remote system, which has secret knowledge about features indicating object authenticity. The phone, or the remote system, discerns the pose of the object relative to the camera from the captured imagery. The remote system tests the received data for the authentication features, and issues an output signal indicating whether the object is authentic. This testing involves modeling the image data that would be captured by the consumer device from an authentic object—based on the object's discerned pose (and optionally based on information about the camera optics), and then comparing this modeled data with the data sent from the consumer device. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A method of opening a door of a household appliance having a cabinet with an open face providing access to a treating chamber where an article is received for treatment according to a useful cycle of operation is provided. The method includes: sensing a presence of at least a portion of a person within a predetermined range of the door and out of contact with the door; and automatically opening the door in response to the sensed presence.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a mount substrate comprising the step of: preparing a cleaning solution and cleaning the mount substrate by using the cleaning solution. The cleaning solution is a chemical solution produced by providing organic amine as a content in a hydrocarbon-based solvent containing a ketone or an aromatic and by adding unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride or carboxylic anhydride to this solvent.

Abstract: An actuator includes a cylinder, a piston, a rod, a rod-side chamber and a piston-side chamber, a tank, a first pump capable of supplying liquid to the rod-side chamber, a second pump capable of supplying the liquid to the piston-side chamber, a first control passage allowing communication between the rod-side chamber and the tank, a second control passage allowing communication between the piston-side chamber and the tank, a first variable relief valve capable of changing a valve opening pressure for permitting a flow of the liquid by being opened when a pressure in the rod-side chamber reaches the valve opening pressure, a second variable relief valve capable of changing a valve opening pressure for permitting a flow of the liquid by being opened when a pressure in the piston-side chamber reaches the valve opening pressure, and a center passage allowing communication between the tank and the interior of the cylinder.

Abstract: Methods, products, apparatus, and systems may identify one or more relevant social communities for one or more questions. Additionally, a user-question affinity value between a user and a question may be determined. In addition, a user-community affinity value between the user and each of a plurality of candidate social communities may be determined. Moreover, a question-community affinity value between the question and each of the plurality of candidate social communities may be determined based on the user-question affinity value and the user-community affinity value. The question-community affinity value determination may involve calculating a running average using the user-question affinity value and the user-community affinity value. The question-community affinity value may identify the one or more relevant social communities from the plurality of candidate social communities.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus of receiving and processing customer support calls. The calls may be initiated from a mobile/wireless device via a call function or via a mobile device application. An example method of operation may provide receiving a call from a mobile device and identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry. The method may further provide intercepting the call and redirecting the call to an interactive voice response proxy device responsive to identifying the call as a customer service support inquiry, accessing a database responsive to receiving the call and retrieving a data record that was created when the call was initiated.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an image analysis unit that executes a process for analyzing an image captured by a camera, a speech analysis unit that executes a process for analyzing speech input from a microphone, and a data processing unit that receives a result of the analysis conducted by the image analysis unit and a result of the analysis conducted by the speech analysis unit and that executes output control of help information for a user. The data processing unit calculates a degree of difficulty of the user on the basis of at least either the result of the image analysis or the result of the speech analysis and, if the degree of difficulty that has been calculated is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, executes a process for outputting help information to the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback period to increase uplink capacity in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The uplink capacity is increased by reducing the uplink interference caused by CQI transmissions. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) monitors a status of downlink transmissions to the WTRU and sets the CQI feedback period based on the status of the downlink transmissions to the WTRU. A base station monitors uplink and downlink transmission needs. The base station determines the CQI feedback period of at least one WTRU based on the uplink and downlink transmission needs and sends a command to the WTRU to change the CQI feedback period of the WTRU.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including a unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion section, an impurity-diffusion region capable of temporarily accumulating or holding electric charges generated by the photoelectric conversion section, and a reset transistor resetting the impurity-diffusion region by a voltage of a voltage-supply line, and having an impurity concentration such that at least the reset transistor side of the impurity-diffusion region becomes a depletion state; and a drive circuit changing the voltage of the voltage-supply line from a first voltage lower than a depletion potential of the reset transistor side of the impurity-diffusion region to a second voltage higher than the depletion potential while the reset transistor is on.

Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure include methods in which a core network controller determines which femtocell base station to handover a cellular device to. Methods include comparing a cell parameter difference provided by a base station with a cell parameter difference provided by the cellular device. The cell parameter difference provided by the base station is the cell parameter difference between the base station and each neighboring base station. The cell parameter difference provided by the cellular device is the cell parameter difference between the base station through which the cellular device is currently associated with to the core network and each neighboring base station. The core network controller compares the cell parameter difference provided by the cellular device with the cell parameter difference provided by the base station. The core network hands the cellular device to the base station when the cell parameter difference provided by each are substantially equivalent.

Abstract: To provide an accumulation valve which is stable and moves sensitively, where the number of parts has been reduced, and an accumulator trigger sprayer assembled with the same. The present invention is an accumulation valve S used in an accumulator trigger sprayer 100 which imparts pressure to liquid in a cylinder by a piston portion 11 to spray liquid from a nozzle portion 5a to the outside, the accumulation valve S including a piston valve portion 21, a spring portion 22 for pressing the piston valve portion 21 to a piston valve seat, and a mounting portion 23 for mounting the spring portion 22 to the piston portion 11, wherein the piston valve portion 21, the spring portion 22 and the mounting portion 23 are formed integrally.

Abstract: Threshold switching devices demonstrating transient current protection through both insulation and repair current mechanisms, including associated systems and methods, are provided and discussed.