Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a catalytic converter system that includes a catalytic converter having a plurality of passages to facilitate at least one catalytic reaction in an exhaust gas from a vehicle engine. A temperature sensor generates a temperature signal indicating at least one temperature of the catalytic converter. An electromagnetic field generator that responds to a control signal by generating an electromagnetic field to inductively to heat the catalytic converter. A controller generates the control signal based on temperature signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for conducting a financial transaction is disclosed. The system includes a first memory location embedded in a personal portable device. The first memory location stores a plurality of personal financial data files associated with a user. The system also includes a second memory location to store biometric information and a first input interface to receive authentication information after initiation of a purchase transaction session. The system also includes a security module including an input coupled to the first interface to authenticate the authentication information based on the biometric information and an output interface comprising an input coupled to the first memory location and an output to provide personal financial data file information to a host device.

Abstract: A multi-fiber, fiber optic connector may include a reversible keying arrangement for determining the orientation for plugging the connector into an adapter to thereby allow for a change in polarity of the connection to be made on site. The connector housing may be configured to engage with a removable key that may be engaged with the housing in at least two different locations to provide the plug-in orientation, or the housing may have slidably displaceable keys movable between multiple positions on the housing.

Abstract: A waterproof electrical receptacle connector includes a plastic shell, a metallic shell, an insulated housing, and a buckling member. The plastic shell includes a shell body, a through hole defined in the shell body, and an assembling hole defined on the shell body. The metallic shell is received in the through hole and defines a receiving cavity. The insulated housing is received in the receiving cavity and includes a base portion and a tongue portion extending from the base portion. The buckling member is positioned with the assembling hole and includes a buckling body and a hook extending from the bottom of the buckling body and protruded out of the assembling hole. Accordingly, the hook is protruded out of the assembling hole and engaged with a buckling hole of a circuit board, so that the front of waterproof electrical receptacle connector can be firmly positioned with the circuit board.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling affinity of subcaches is disclosed. When a core compute unit evicts a line of victim data, a prioritized search for space allocation on available subcaches is executed, in order of proximity between the subcache and the compute unit. The victim data may be injected into an adjacent subcache if space is available. Otherwise, a line may be evicted from the adjacent subcache to make room for the victim data or the victim data may be sent to the next closest subcache. To retrieve data, a core compute unit sends a Tag Lookup Request message directly to the nearest subcache as well as to a cache controller, which controls routing of messages to all of the subcaches. A Tag Lookup Response message is sent back to the cache controller to indicate if the requested data is located in the nearest sub-cache.

Abstract: The present invention relates to flame retardant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) compositions that are prepared by compounding certain TPU's and with a polyphosphonate homopolymer or copolymer, and more specifically TPU compositions that pass ASTM E84 Class 1 and UL94 V0 ratings. The invention also relates to compositions that further include an inherently dissipative polymer to provide a TPU composition that has flame retardant properties, electrostatic discharge performance, good clarity and/or transparency, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently producing alkoxysilanes that are useful as various functional chemicals. In order to produce alkoxysilanes efficiently, an ethoxy- or methoxysilane and an alcohol are caused to react using, as a catalyst, for instance an inorganic solid acid having a regular-pore and/or layered structure. Zeolites, montmorillonites or the like can be used as the inorganic solid acid. When a zeolite is used as the catalyst, the silica/alumina ratio of the zeolite ranges preferably from 5 to 1000. The reaction can be promoted through irradiation of microwaves.

Abstract: A method for producing a gasoline blend having a high concentration of a butanol isomer and having good cold start and warm-up driveability performance.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a light emitting diode die which includes a substrate; an N type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a P type semiconductor layer formed on the substrate in sequence; at least one recess, and a pair of electrodes. The recess extends to the N type semiconductor layer. The insulating layer covers the all of side surfaces of the N type semiconductor layer, the active layer, the P type semiconductor layer, and covers top of the P type semiconductor layer except an opening on the P semiconductor layer. One of the electrodes is filled in the recess and electrically connected to the N type semiconductor layer, and the other one of the electrodes is connected to the P type semiconductor layer in the opening. The present disclosure further provides an LED package having the LED die and a method for manufacturing the same.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a feed apparatus, a current collector, and a power transfer apparatus of the magnetic induction type, considering lateral deviation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for configuring a computing system, such as a cloud computing system. A method includes providing a user interface comprising selectable boot-time configuration data and selecting, based on at least one user selection of the boot-time configuration data, a boot-time configuration for at least one node of a cluster of nodes of the computing system. The method further includes configuring the at least one node of the cluster of nodes with the selected boot-time configuration to modify at least one boot-time parameter of the at least one node.

Abstract: An interposer substrate includes a first circuit pattern embedded at a first surface of a dielectric layer and a second circuit pattern embedded at a second surface of the dielectric layer; a middle patterned conductive layer in the dielectric layer between the first circuit pattern and the second circuit pattern; first conductive vias, where each first conductive via includes a first end adjacent to the first circuit pattern and a second end adjacent to the middle patterned conductive layer, wherein a width of the first end is greater than a width of the second end; second conductive vias, where each second conductive via including a third end adjacent to the second circuit pattern and a fourth end adjacent to the middle patterned conductive layer, wherein a width of the third end is greater than a width of the fourth end.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly (10) with a first and a second component (1, 2) which are fixed relative to each other by at least one fixation element (3), characterized by a fixation element (3) extending into or through a space (9) between the first and the second component (1, 2), wherein the fixation element (3) is filled with a hardenable filling material (61), wherein the fixation element (3) is a hollow deformable and at least in a radial direction expandable element if internally pressurized, at least before the filling material (61) hardens. The present invention also relates to a method for producing an assembly with a first and a second component.

Abstract: A cycloidal diffractive waveplate (50) comprising first and second substrate layers (52, 54), a liquid crystal layer (60C, 60H) provided between the first and second substrate layers, and transparent positive electrodes (56) and transparent negative electrodes (58) provided on the first substrate layer. The liquid crystal layer has a diffractive state (60C) in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are periodically rotated across a plane of the waveplate and a non-diffractive state (60H) in which the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules are all orientated in the same direction in the plane of the waveplate. The electrodes (56, 58) are arranged in an alternating series, such that when an electric voltage is applied to the electrodes an electric field is produced in the plane of the waveplate and the liquid crystal layer is switched from the diffractive state to the non-diffractive state. A method of manufacturing the cycloidal diffractive waveplate is also provided.

Abstract: By forming a trench isolation structure after providing a high-k dielectric layer stack, direct contact of oxygen-containing insulating material of a top surface of the trench isolation structure with the high-k dielectric material in shared polylines may be avoided. This technique is self-aligned, thereby enabling further device scaling without requiring very tight lithography tolerances. After forming the trench isolation structure, the desired electrical connection across the trench isolation structure may be re-established by providing a further conductive material.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3-D) processor stack includes a plurality of processor cores implemented in a plurality of layers. A controller is to selectively throttle one or more of a plurality of processor cores in response to detecting a thermal event. The controller selectively throttles the one or more of the plurality of processor cores based on values of thermal couplings between the plurality of layers and based on measures of criticality of threads executing on the plurality of processor cores.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses for impedance-matching radio frequency power transmitted from a radio frequency generator to a plasma load in a semiconductor processing chamber. Impedance-matching can be performed via a match network having a variable-reactance circuit. The variable-reactance circuit can comprise one or more reactive elements all connected to a first terminal and selectively shorted to a second terminal via a switch. The switch can comprise a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) controlled via bias circuitry. In an on-state, the BJT base-emitter junction is forward biased, and AC is conducted between a collector terminal and a base terminal. Thus, AC passes through the BJT primarily from collector to base rather than from collector to emitter. Furthermore, the classic match network topology used with vacuum variable capacitors can be modified such that voltages do not overload the BJT's in the modified topology.

Abstract: A hard panel of wall and floor structures for reducing floor impact sound according to example embodiments includes patterned layer having different density and elastic modulus form a base layer. A transmission path of an acoustic wave may be changed in a lateral direction by passing the patterned layer and the sound energy is dissipated by the refection, refraction, and cancellation of the acoustic wave. Thus, a noise is reduced. The hard panel of the wall and floor structures according to example embodiments is effectively reduces the light and heavy impact sounds. In addition, the hard panel is formed by at least one patterned layer to refract and reflect the acoustic wave such that the floor noise may be effectively dissipated. The hard panel is further includes the sound absorbing material to absorb the noise passing through the hard panel such that the floor noise can be effectively reduced.