Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a circuit on an uneven two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) surface of an object is described. An amount of electrically conductive material to form a circuit between two points on the object is determined. The determined amount of electrically conductive material is deposited on a first surface of a stretchable substrate. The stretchable substrate with the deposited electrically conductive material is applied to the object to form a circuit between two points on the object.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement is disclosed for controlling the switching of a field effect transistor (FET). A current controlled amplifier may be configured to amplify a current in a current sense device to generate an amplified current, wherein the current in the current sense device indicates a current through the FET. A comparator may be coupled to the current sense amplifier to compare a voltage corresponding to the amplified current with a voltage reference and to generate a comparator output based on the comparison, wherein the comparator output controls whether the FET is on or off.

Abstract: A press apparatus and a press including the press apparatus include a circular nest and a circular pressure shoe made up of press blocks formed as radial segments with an inside diameter corresponding to the diameter of the circular nest. The press blocks are fitted to actuators to move the press blocks between a first position in which the press blocks are radially outwardly spaced away from the nest and a second position the press blocks are radially inwardly disposed so that the inner radii of the press blocks are aligned to form a circle concentric with the circular nest.

Abstract: An in-circuit testing auto open and close system, apparatus and method includes an in-circuit tester having an upper panel and a lower panel, wherein the upper and lower panels are used to test electrical connections of one or more electronic units. One or more actuators are each coupled to both the upper panel and the lower panel such that they are able to move the upper and lower panels with respect to each other. As a result, a controller coupled with the in-circuit tester and the actuators is able to cause the actuators to automatically close the panels such that the panels sandwich the electronic units at the beginning of a testing program and to automatically open the panels such that the panels are separated at the end of the testing program.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating consumer electronics using a Universal Box Build (UBB) are disclosed herein. The method may include entering specifications of a product comprised of a printed circuit board (PCB), additional components (such as Central Processing Units (CPUs), memory modules, and heatsinks) into a chassis module, inserting a set of required components in the UBB, and generating the PCB assembly based on the entered specifications, wherein a robot is operatively connected to the interface module to automatically generate a product assembly.

Abstract: A method for making a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device on fabric is described herein. In a first example, an RFID semiconductor chip is attached to a piece of fabric. The RFID semiconductor chip includes two terminals. A solid wire is stitched into the fabric making an RFID antenna. The solid wire is attached to the terminals of the RFID semiconductor chip. In a second example, a metal wire is selected. The metal wire is stitched into fabric making an RFID antenna. The metal wire includes two ends and a conductive adhesive is applied to two ends of the metal wire. An RFID semiconductor chip is attached to the fabric. The RFID semiconductor chip includes two terminals and the RFID semiconductor chip is attached to the fabric at the two terminals. The conductive adhesive is cured. In both examples, the wire and the RFID semiconductor chip are encapsulated in fabric.

Abstract: Methods of backdrilling printed circuit boards (PCBs) to remove via stubs and related apparatuses. The method may include removing a via stub through a combination of backdrilling and chemical etching. The backdrilling may remove a masking layer from the via stub. Portions of an underlying layer may remain in the region of the via stub after the backdrilling is completed. The remaining portions of the underlying layer may be removed in a subsequent etching process thereby removing the via stub from the PCB. As the backdrilling step may be used for the limited purpose of removing the outer layer and portions of the underlying layer remaining in the via can be tolerated, the diameter of the backdrilling need not be as large as traditional backdrilling where all layers within the via must be ensured of being completely removed.

Abstract: An intelligent television and methods for interactive channel navigation and channel switching are disclosed. Specifically, an input may be received at the intelligent television that prompts the display of a list or other collection of channel tiles to a display area of an intelligent television. The list or other collection may include at least one channel tile that can visually represent broadcast content available on a channel via an image, without tuning to a channel to retrieve the image. Upon receiving a navigational input, a focus may move to an alternate channel tile. Upon receiving a selection input, the television may tune to the channel that is associated with a channel tile currently associated with a focus. The list or other collection of one or more channel tiles may contain one or more subsets of channel tiles, which may be associated with a collection of favorite or recommended channels.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining off-temperature behavior of a solenoid fluid control valve. The method comprises performing a current sweep at a first temperature. The method further comprises choosing a first and second characterization control pressure for characterizing the solenoid fluid control valve. A first current may be determined that corresponds to the first characterization control pressure based on the current sweep, and a first metric may be assigned to the solenoid fluid control valve based on the first current. A second current corresponding to the second characterization control pressure may be determined based on the current sweep, and a second metric may be assigned to the solenoid fluid control valve based on the second current. Information regarding the behavior of the solenoid fluid control valve at a second temperature may be determined based on the first and second metrics.

Abstract: An intelligent television can provide various interfaces for providing video-on-demand (VOD). The user interfaces include unique visual representations and organizations that allow the user to utilize the intelligent television more easily and more effectively. Particularly, the user interfaces pertain to the display of VOD content and better organizations thereof. Further, the user interfaces provide unique process of transitioning between the VOD content.

Abstract: An Intelligent Television provides unique user interfaces and user interface interactions to provide social media. The interfaces and interface are intuitive and allow the user to quickly retrieve and view social media with respect to content displayed on the Intelligent Television. Further, intuitive user interface interactions are provided to allow for the quick and efficient posting of social media from the Intelligent Television to a social media site.

Abstract: An LED lighting unit may include a flexible circuit substrate having a an obverse side and a reverse side. The obverse side may include a plurality of mounting points for LEDs and the reverse side may include a thermal conduction material. A plurality of LEDs may be mounted to the plurality of mounting points and may be in thermal communication with the thermal conduction material. A heat sink may be attached to the reverse side of the substrate and may have a hollow conical-frustum geometry. The heat sink may include a top circumference, a bottom circumference, a top opening, a bottom opening, at least one cooling fin extending into an interior of the heat sink.

Abstract: Systems and methods for decoratively coating a substrate are disclosed wherein the ink is diffused into the substrate, as opposed to onto the substrate. Substrates are able to comprise metals, plastics, bamboo, wood, glass, and metals wherein such materials can also be pre-coated. A system for transferring a decorative image to a substrate comprises a chamber configured to receive a substrate, a means for securing a transfer medium containing the decorative image to be transferred, an optional vacuum source coupled to the chamber, and a heat source removably coupled to the chamber. The transfer is positioned face down onto a surface of the substrate, secured into position. The vacuum source may be used to evacuate the chamber to more tightly pull the transfer medium to the substrate. Then the substrate and transfer are heated, and the transfer medium ink diffuses into the substrate, thereby diffusing the image into the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments provide an oil pan that includes an oil pan having a reservoir configured to hold oil and defined by one or more oil pan walls and an oil pan bottom. The oil pan includes one or more capacitance sensors coupled to a portion of the oil pan walls and configured to sense a capacitance. The oil pan includes a capacitance measuring unit electrically connected to the one or more sensors via one or more conductors and configured to receive each of the sensed capacitances via the one or more conductors and determine capacitance values for each of the sensed capacitances. The oil pan also includes a processor configured to receive the capacitance values and determine the oil level in the oil pan based on the capacitance values.

Abstract: An intelligent television and methods for user interaction between the intelligent television and the user are provided. In general, a user is provided with navigation, notification, and setup options which enable one or more functions associated with the intelligent television. The presentation of options is based on input received by the intelligent television. As a user provides input to the intelligent television via a remote control or other input device, the intelligent television is configured to interpret the input and provide interactive functionality in the form of content presented to the display of the intelligent television.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a conductor on an uneven two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) surface is described. An amount of conductive material needed to form a conductor between two points on a surface of an object is determined. The determined amount of conductive material is deposited on a substrate. The substrate with the deposited conductive material is applied to the object to form a conductor between the two points on the surface of the object. The conductive material and substrate may be stretchable. The conductive material may be deposited by an inkjet printer or an embedded 3-D printer. The substrate with the deposited conductive material may be applied to the object by laminating the substrate with the deposited conductive material to the object.

Abstract: A LED assembly/structure and a method of manufacturing the same. The LED assembly comprises a housing body, one or more LED light emitting component hosting areas, a power unit hosting compartment, one or more light diffusing elements, and a cover. The housing body of the LED assembly serves as a thermal barrier between the power supply and the LED lighting elements, such that thermal stress is able to be reduced.

Abstract: A wearable electronics assembly includes one or more electronic modules coupled to a wearable electronics fabric. Each of the one or more electronic modules includes one or more metal foils, each metal foil electrically coupled at one end to an electrical connection point of the electrical module and at another end to an electrically conductive wire. The electrically conductive wire is stitched to the metal foil and to a fabric onto which the electronic module is attached. The electronic module can include one or more electronic components coupled to a printed circuit board. The metal foils can be formed from interconnects on the printed circuit board or the metal foils can be separate elements coupled to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a fixture design for pre-attachment package on package component assembly. The fixture design includes a plurality of pockets arranged in a N×M array. The plurality of pockets is sized to receive bottom packages. The fixture design includes global fiducials that are used to locate positions of the pockets on the fixture, and sets of local fiducials, with each set being specific to one of the pockets and used to refine the position of the location of a corresponding pocket. Each of the pockets can include one or more ear cuts for easy component placement and component removal. The fixture design can include a vacuum port for coupling with a vacuum source for drawing a vacuum to hold the bottom packages down. The fixture design can also include a cover that is used with the fixture to keep the components from being disturbed.

Abstract: Described herein are a robotic distribution apparatus, system and method. The robotic distribution system may include a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated frontend and backend package delivery management systems, a package inventory management system. The PDK includes a Robotic Package Lifting Assembly which may be configured to remember the location of packages and slots and provide for automated retrieval and placement of the packages. In an embodiment, a package retrieving apparatus includes a track, a base slidably interconnected with the track, and a vertical support interconnected with the base. The apparatus includes a package picker module oriented on the vertical support to vertically move on the vertical support. The package picker module including a conveyer belt oriented in a plane parallel to the ground and first and second grippers oriented parallel to the conveyer belt to surround and grip an object beyond the surface of the conveyer belt.