Abstract: A manually actuated robotic tool changer comprises master and tool units, each adapted to be connected to a different one of a robotic arm and a robotic tool. The tool changer includes a plurality of rolling members retained in one of the units and a piston mounted in one of the units and moveable in an axial direction. The piston includes a multi-faceted cam surface including an initial contact surface, a locking surface, and a failsafe surface interposed between the initial contact surface and the locking surface. When the piston is in a locked position in the tool changer, the cam surface is operative to contact the rolling members in one of the units and to urge each rolling member against a surface of the other unit to couple the master and tool units together.

Abstract: Various semiconductor workpiece polymer layers and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes applying a polymer layer to a passivation structure of a semiconductor workpiece where the semiconductor workpiece has first and second semiconductor chips separated by a dicing street. A first opening is patterned in the polymer layer with opposing edges pulled back from the dicing street. A mask is applied over the first opening. A first portion of the passivation structure is etched while using the polymer layer as an etch mask.

Abstract: A system and method for providing video compression that includes encoding using an encoding engine a YUV stream wherein Y, U and V color values are encoded in parallel and patching together the Y, U and V color streams to form a compressed YUV output stream. The encoding engine further includes encoding each color value of the YUV stream in parallel using parallel encoding engines and a control engine for controlling operation all of the encoding engines in parallel. The YUV stream has an average bits per pixel value that varies from a first value to a second value that is double the first value. The encoding engine includes encoding the YUV stream in generally the same amount of time regardless of the average bits per pixel value.

Abstract: A device and method of operating a synchronous frequency processing environment served by a common power source and common clock source. The method includes operating the processing environment to have a first power consumption. The method further includes determining a first synchronous frequency processing domain within the processing environment where it is desired to implement a first clock frequency alteration in a clock signal for the first synchronous frequency processing domain. The first clock frequency alteration generates an associated first alteration in a power consumption from the first synchronous frequency processing domain. The method further includes determining a second clock frequency alteration to a clock signal for a second synchronous frequency processing domain of the processing environment. The second clock frequency alteration is determined so as to reduce a change in the first power consumption caused by the first alteration in power consumption.

Abstract: Methods are provided for creating objects in a way that permits an API client to explicitly participate in memory management for an object created using the API. Methods for managing data object memory include requesting memory requirements for an object using an API and expressly allocating a memory location for the object based on the memory requirements. Methods are also provided for cloning objects such that a state of the object remains unchanged from the original object to the cloned object or can be explicitly specified.

Abstract: A compliance compensator apparatus provides a mechanically compliant coupling between, e.g., a robot arm or robotic tool and a mechanical load. The compliance compensator apparatus comprise a base component and a compliance component attached to the base component and independently moveable in several aspects. The compliance component may move, with respect to the base component, axially, transversely, rotationally, and skew, in response to mechanical force from an engaged load. When the load is disengaged, the compliance compensator apparatus returns to a reset position wherein the compliance component is spaced apart from, but parallel to, the base component.

Abstract: A texture compression method is described. The method comprises splitting an original texture having a plurality of pixels into original blocks of pixels. Then, for each of the original blocks of pixels, a partition is identified that has one or more disjoint subsets of pixels whose union is the original block of pixels. The original block of pixels is further subdivided into one or more subsets according to the identified partition. Finally, each subset is independently compressed to form a compressed texture block.

Abstract: A system, method and a computer program product for processing media content on a media player having direct access to hardware are provided in exemplary embodiments. When the media player is initialized, an operating system is placed into a stand-by mode that decreases power consumption on an electronic device. Instead of the operating system, a hardware pipeline processes media content. A hardware pipeline is dedicated to process a media content based on the media content type. The media content is processed using the dedicated hardware pipeline to reduce the power consumption during processing.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for data driven scheduling of a plurality of computing cores of a processor. A plurality of threads may be executed on the plurality of computing cores, according to a default schedule. The plurality of threads may be analyzed, based on the execution, to determine correlations among the plurality of threads. A data driven schedule may be generated based on the correlations. The plurality of threads may be executed on the plurality of computing cores according to the data driven schedule.

Abstract: A method of decarburizing a molten alloy may generally comprise injecting a first gas comprising at least one of argon, carbon dioxide, and oxygen through a first fluid-conducting portion of a tuyere into the molten alloy below the surface of the molten alloy, and injecting a second gas comprising at least one of argon and carbon dioxide through a second fluid-conducting portion of the tuyere into the molten alloy below the surface of the molten alloy. The tuyere may comprise an inner portion concentrically aligned within an outer portion to define an annulus therebetween. The first gas may be injected through the inner portion, and the second gas may be injected through the annulus.

Abstract: A vehicle track module having a frame, the module mountable on a rotatable axle of a vehicle and having a drive wheel rotatably mounted to the frame, leading and trailing idler wheels rotatably mounted to the frame, at least one bogie wheel in contact with the track and positioned between the idler wheels, and a continuous flexible track extending about the wheels, and the at least one bogie wheel is a cylindrical wheel with a tapered elastomeric tire therearound. The track module may include a module center plane parallel to the drive wheel and the bogie wheel may be thicker toward the center plane. A track assembly for a vehicle including a frame for mounting with respect to the vehicle and a plurality of wheels in contact with a continuous flexible track extending about the wheels with at least one wheel being cylindrical and including a tapered elastomeric tire.

Abstract: A method for making a tube is described in which a multi-layer billet is extruded to provide a tube having a wall comprising an inner layer metallurgically bonded to an outer layer.

Abstract: An air hardenable steel alloy is disclosed comprising, in percent by weight: 0.18 to 0.26 carbon; 3.50 to 4.00 nickel; 1.60 to 2.00 chromium; 0 to 0.50 molybdenum; 0.80 to 1.20 manganese; 0.25 to 0.45 silicon; 0 to less than 0.005 titanium; 0 to less than 0.020 phosphorus; 0 up to 0.005 boron; 0 up to 0.003 sulfur; iron; and impurities. The air hardenable steel alloy has a Brinell hardness in a range of 352 HBW to 460 HBW. The air hardenable steel alloy combines high strength, medium hardness and toughness, as compared with certain known air hardenable steel alloys, and finds application in, for example, any of a steel armor, a blast-protective hull, a blast-protective V-shaped hull, a blast-protective vehicle underbelly, and a blast-protective enclosure.

Abstract: A system and method for efficient management of operating modes within an integrated circuit (IC) for optimal power and performance targets. A semiconductor chip includes processing units each of which operates with respective operating parameters. Temperature sensors are included to measure a temperature of the one or more processing units during operation. A power manager determines a calculated power value independent of thermal conditions and current draw. The power manager reads each of a first thermal design power (TDP) value for the processing units and a second TDP value for a platform housing the semiconductor chip. The power manager determines a ratio of the first TDP value to the second TDP value. Additionally, the power manager determines another ratio of the first TDP value to the calculated power value. Using the measured temperature, the ratios and the calculated power value, the power manager determines a manner to adjust the operating parameters.

Abstract: A method and device for ranking video feeds provide a user with the best feed depending on what the user wishes to see. The method includes obtaining one or more video feeds and ranking the video feeds. The ranking is based, at least in part, upon input from a viewer indicating an object of interest. The ranking can consider things such as video stream resolution and signal strength.

Abstract: Methods of refining the grain size of a titanium alloy workpiece include beta annealing the workpiece, cooling the beta annealed workpiece to a temperature below the beta transus temperature of the titanium alloy, and high strain rate multi-axis forging the workpiece. High strain rate multi-axis forging is employed until a total strain of at least 1 is achieved in the titanium alloy workpiece, or until a total strain of at least 1 and up to 3.5 is achieved in the titanium alloy workpiece. The titanium alloy of the workpiece may comprise at least one of grain pinning alloying additions and beta stabilizing content effective to decrease alpha phase precipitation and growth kinetics.

Abstract: An upstream video processor may perform video processing upon video data to created processed video data. The video processing may include at least one of color correction, contrast correction, gamma correction, sharpness enhancement, and edge enhancement. Metadata indicative of the performed video processing may also be generated. The processed video data and metadata may be passed to a downstream video processor, the latter for use in determining what further video processing, if any, to apply. An intermediate video processor may receive video data and metadata indicating video processing performed thereupon by an upstream video processor. Based on the received metadata, additional video processing may be performed, and new metadata indicating the additional video processing may be generated.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing is provided that includes applying a thermal interface tape to a side of a semiconductor wafer that includes at least one semiconductor chip. The thermal interface material tape is positioned on the at least one semiconductor chip. The at least one semiconductor chip is singulated from the semiconductor wafer with at least a portion of the thermal interface tape still attached to the semiconductor chip.

Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel composition having low nickel and molybdenum and exhibiting high corrosion resistance and good formability. The austenitic stainless steel includes, in weight %, up to 0.20 C, 2.0-6.0 Mn, up to 2.0 Si, 16.0-23.0 Cr, 5.0-7.0 Ni, up to 3.0 Mo, up to 3.0 Cu, 0.1-0.35 N, up to 4.0 W, up to 0.01 B, up to 1.0 Co, iron and impurities. The austenitic stainless steel has a ferrite number less than 11 and an MD30 value less than ?10° C.

Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel having low nickel and molybdenum and exhibiting comparable corrosion resistance and formability properties to higher nickel and molybdenum alloys comprises, in weight %, up to 0.20 C, 2.0-9.0 Mn, up to 2.0 Si, 16.0-23.0 Cr, 1.0-5.0 Ni, up to 3.0 Mo, up to 3.0 Cu, 0.1-0.35 N, up to 4.0 W, up to 0.01 B, up to 1.0 Co, iron and impurities, the steel having a ferrite number of less than 10 and a MD30 value of less than 20° C.