Abstract: A beam delivery system according to an aspect of the present disclosure is used for an extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus and includes a propagation mirror disposed on an optical path between a laser apparatus and a condensation optical system and configured to change the propagation direction of a pulse laser beam, and a curvature mirror disposed on an optical path between the propagation mirror and the condensation optical system and having a concave reflective surface configured to convert the pulse laser beam to be incident on the condensation optical system into a convergent beam. The curvature mirror has a focal length selected so that the beam spread angle of the pulse laser beam from the curvature mirror is constant irrespective of thermal deformation of the propagation mirror or constant with change in a predetermined allowable range irrespective of thermal deformation of the propagation mirror.

Abstract: A multi-layer apparatus has a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, a solar-cell layer coupled to the substrate, an energy-storage layer coupled to the solar-cell layer, and a converter layer coupled to the energy-storage layer. The solar-cell layer has a plurality of solar cells for receiving light through the substrate and converting energy of the received light to a first electrical energy, the energy-storage layer has one or more energy-storage units for storing a second electrical energy, and the converter layer has one or more power converters electrically connected to the solar-cell layer and the energy-storage layer for receiving the first electrical energy and the second electrical energy therefrom and outputting a third electrical energy via an output thereof.

Abstract: Methods are provided for designing a structure with developable surfaces using a surface developability constraint. The surface developability constraint is developed based on the discovery of a sufficient condition for surface piecewise developability, namely surface normal directions lie on a small, finite number of planes. Automated methods and algorithms may include providing a design domain and a characteristic function of a material in the design domain to be optimized. The methods include defining a nodal density of the material, and determining surface normal directions of a plurality of planes. A density gradient that describes the surface normal directions is then determined. The methods include performing a topology optimization process on the design domain using a surface developability constraint that is based, at least in part, on the characteristic function. A geometric domain is then created for the structure using results from the topology optimization.

Abstract: A memory device having a plurality sections of memory cells, such as ferroelectric memory cells (hybrid RAM (HRAM) cells) may provide for concurrent access to memory cells within independent sections of the memory device. A first memory cell may be activated, and it may be determined that a second memory cell is independent of the first memory cell. If the second memory cell is independent of the first memory cell, the second memory cell may be activated prior to the conclusion of operations at the first memory cell. Latching hardware at memory sections may latch addresses at the memory sections in order to allow a new address to be provided to a different section to access the second memory cell.

Abstract: Processing transaction requests may be considered a computationally expensive operation for a computing system such as an e-commerce platform. An aspect of the present disclosure relates to systems and methods to reduce the number of transaction requests that are received and/or processed by a computing system. This may reduce demand on the computing system's resources and potentially improve the responsiveness of the computing system. In some embodiments, a set of users is selected based on at least one defined condition for a particular transaction request. Origination of the particular transaction request on behalf of users excluded from the set of users is prevented in order to reduce the number of the particular transaction requests that are received and/or processed by a corresponding computing system.

Abstract: In a method of molecular scaffold hopping an interface of a scheduler computer sends instructions, prepared by the scheduler computer, to a job runner computer to perform a plurality of separate computational tasks. Each of the separate computational tasks includes calculating one or more chemical properties for a query molecule or molecules in a library of molecules. One or more of the plurality of separate computational tasks performed on the job runner computer are preemptible computing instances. Status indicators sent from the job runner computer are received by the interface for each of the plurality of separate computational tasks. The indicators are one of: incomplete, completed, or failed computing instances. The interface resends the instructions to the job runner computer that correspond to the separate computational tasks having the failed computing instance indicator to increase fault-tolerance against the separate computational tasks not attaining the completed computing instance indicator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of processing a workpiece is disclosed, where a sacrificial capping layer is created on a top surface of a workpiece. That workpiece is then exposed to an ion implantation process, where select species are used to passivate the workpiece. While the implant process is ongoing, radicals and excited species etch the sacrificial capping layer. This reduces the amount of etching that the workpiece experiences. In certain embodiments, the thickness of the sacrificial capping layer is selected based on the total time used for the implant process and the etch rate. The total time used for the implant process may be a function of desired dose, bias voltage, plasma power and other parameters. In some embodiments, the sacrificial capping layer is applied prior to the implant process. In other embodiments, material is added to the sacrificial capping layer during the implant process.

Abstract: A memory device includes a first well, a second well, a first active area, a second active area, a third active area, a first poly layer and a second poly layer. The first well is of a first conductivity type. The second well is of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The first active area is of the second conductivity type and is formed on the first well. The second active area is of the first conductivity type and is formed on the first well and between the first active area and the second well. The third active area is of the first conductivity type and is formed on the second well. The first poly layer is formed above the first well and the second well. The second poly layer is formed above the first well.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel lipids and liposomal compositions prepared using such compounds and related methods of neutralizing or otherwise modifying such liposomal compositions. The lipids described herein are useful for example, as liposomal vehicles to facilitate the delivery of encapsulated polynucleotides to target cells and the subsequent transfection of such target cells. In certain embodiments, one or more of the compounds that comprise the liposomal delivery vehicle may be neutralized or further modified such that the properties of the liposomal delivery vehicle are modified.

Abstract: A system, a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method to adjust twitch response and collision determination to a player's skill level is provided. Gameplay information of a computer-implemented game is accessed. The gameplay information including input information indicating one or more attributes of gameplay input provided by the player. A gameplay skill level of the player of the player is estimated based on the one or more gameplay input attributes. Based on the estimated gameplay skill level of the player, respective values of one or more gameplay parameters that determine on-screen behavior of virtual in-game objects are modified, thereby a gameplay difficulty level is modified.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and/or apparatuses for making an object on a bottom-up stereolithography apparatus that includes a light source (11), a drive assembly (14), optionally a heater (34) and/or cooler (34), and a controller (15). The light source, optional heater and/or cooler, and/or the drive assembly have at least one adjustable parameter that is adjustable by said controller.

Abstract: A progressing cavity pump has: a stator; a rotor; the rotor having a first axial operating position within the stator in which a first axial part of the rotor aligns with a first axial part of the stator to form an active pump section adapted to generate a pumping force on rotation of the rotor in the stator; the rotor having a second axial operating position within the stator in which the first axial part of the rotor aligns with a second axial part of the stator to form an active pump section adapted to generate a pumping force on rotation of the rotor in the stator. A related method is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus to perform functions on media content items comprises a camera, a communication interface, and a selector input device. The selector input device is communicatively coupled to the camera and the communication interface and has a function setting. In response to detecting activation of the selector input device, the camera captures a media content item and the communication interface transmits the media content item to the server for function processing. The selector input device can be a rotary wheel. To select the function setting from the plurality of settings, the user can rotate the rotary wheel to a function setting and press the rotary wheel. Other embodiments are described herein.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, using at least one processor, first sensor data pertaining to plant-related parameters of each of multiple first plants over time. The method also includes storing the first sensor data in at least one memory. The method further includes identifying, using the at least one processor, an issue affecting at least one of the first plants. The method also includes analyzing, using the at least one processor, at least some of the stored first sensor data to generate a predictive model associated with the issue. The method further includes receiving, using the at least one processor, second sensor data pertaining to plant-related parameters of each of multiple second plants. In addition, the method includes identifying, using the at least one processor, at least one of the second plants to receive one or more interventions by applying the predictive model to the second sensor data.

Abstract: Embodiments described include bus bars for electrochromic or other optical state changing devices. The bus bars are configured to color match and/or provide minimal optical contrast with their surrounding environment in the optical device. Such bus bars may be transparent bus bars.

Abstract: A method and system for compressing and decompressing data is disclosed. A compression command may initiate the prefetching of first data, which may be stored in a first buffer. Multiple words of the first data may be read from the first buffer and used to generate a plurality of compressed packets, each of which includes a command specifying a type of packet. The compressed packets may be combined into a group and multiple groups may be combined and stored in a second buffer. A decompression command may initiate the prefetching of second data, which is stored in the first buffer. A portion of the second data may be read from the first buffer and used to generate a group of compressed packets. Multiple output words may be generated dependent upon the group of compressed packets.

Abstract: The present inventors have recognized that an electrical switch for opening doors in buildings, calling elevators, and the like can be improved to require less physical contact, larger activation area, and multiple activation methods, with increased reliability, by utilizing a piezoelectric sensor specifically arranged between rigid, parallel mounting plates in which one of the plates (an inner plate) is rigidly fixed to prevent movement while the other plate (an outer plate) is accessible for receiving physical contact. By rigidly fixing the inner plate, such as by mounting to a wall or bollard, the sensor can react with sensitivity upon an application of less pressure on the outer plate. Such pressure compresses the sensor between the plates to produce an electrical signal. A controller receiving the signal can, in turn, execute to open a door, call an elevator and/or activate a light or sound to provide feedback.

Abstract: A pseudo-random sequence generator for use within a universal lidar system and its corresponding method of operation. The pseudo-random sequence generator uses synchronized shift registers that are in series Binary adders are provided. The signal output of each of the shift registers is tapped and directed to the binary adders. High-speed switches are provided between the shift registers and the binary adders. The switches are programmed to connect only two of the shift registers to the binary adders for each of the pseudo-random patterns being generated. The binary adders generate an output signal that is received by the first shift register. The signal propagates through all the shift registers to the last shift register. The last shift register outputs a pseudo-random sequence.

Abstract: In a method for using a smart link to access a digital resource, a smart link access request is received from an electronic device interacting with a smart link, wherein a smart link provides access to at least one destination digital resource of a plurality of destination digital resources associated with the smart link. The at least one destination digital resource to access is determined based at least on the smart link access request. The electronic device is directed to the determined at least one destination digital resource.

Abstract: A system and methods are provided for passing control of a customer-support conversation among integrations responsible for responding to a customer during the customer-support conversation. The system receives a message from a source integration, which is presently responsible for responding to the customer during the customer-support conversation, wherein the message includes a pass-control command that passes control of the customer-support conversation to a target integration. In response to the pass-control command, the system passes control of the customer-support conversation from the source integration to the target integration, so that the target integration becomes responsible for responding to the customer.