Abstract: A rapid and inexpensive technique for generating nanotextured surfaces is disclosed. The technique involves the (1) creation of regular, nanometer-sized template by microwave assisted hydro- or solvo-thermal treatment of polymer films coated on surfaces followed by (2) coating of a layer of metal, metal oxides, polymers and inorganic materials. The nanometer-sized polymer template could be removed to create regularly shaped, hollow nanostructures (e.g., nano-bottles, nano-bowls, nano-holes etc.).

Abstract: Metal induced polycrystallized silicon is used as the anode in a light emitting device, such as an OLED or AMOLED. The polycrystallized silicon is sufficiently non-absorptive, transparent and made sufficiently conductive for this purpose. A thin film transistor can be formed onto the polycrystallized silicon anode, with the silicon anode acting as the drain of the thin film transistor, thereby simplifying production.

Abstract: There is provided a method for converting an image with N rows of pixels present and N rows of pixels missing to an image with 2N rows of pixels, wherein the missing pixels are generated by performing a deinterlacing algorithm. The algorithm determines whether missing pixels are part of a horizontal edge region, a smooth region, a vertical edge region or a texture region. Based on the determination, a deinterlacing method is selected.

Abstract: A pixel element for an image sensor comprising, a photodiode and a reset transistor coupled to an input node, wherein said reset transistor is a PMOSFET coupled between said input node and the supply voltage, and wherein said pixel further comprises parallel complementary signal paths.

Abstract: A route computation algorithm, a load-balancing scheme inside a router for making a hop-by-hop routing network (such as the Internet) nonblocking are described in this patent. The output of the route computation algorithm includes a set of link weights that determine the paths of the hop-by-hop routing network. The route computation algorithm and the load-balancing scheme also determine the ingress and egress traffic constraints at each edge router such that as long as the traffic entering and leaving the network does not exceed the constraints, none of the internal links will ever have traversing traffic more than its link capacity. The network is thus non-blocking internally. This greatly simplifies flow admission control and allows hard QoS to be supported inside the network.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for manipulating the surface density of functional molecules conjugated to nanoparticles, which method including incubating nanoparticles with nucleotides to form nucleotide-coated nanoparticles, adjusting buffer and salt concentration of the conjugation media, adding thiolated molecules in the conjugation media to incubate with the nucleotie-coated nanoparticles, and adding thiolated oligo(ethylene glycol) in the conjugation media to cease the conjugation process of thiolated molecules to nanoparticles. The method is simple, efficient and cost effective, and the surface density of functional molecules can be quickly manipulated in a wide range for various applications, such as biosensing, molecular diagnostics, nanomedicine, and nano-assembly.

Abstract: A switching regulator is provided herein comprising a voltage source, a plurality of switching elements, an inductive element, and a controller. The controller coordinates the plurality of switching elements as to sequentially and periodically switching the inductive element to generate a plurality of regulated DC voltages. The controller adjusts a switching frequency of the regulator in accordance with at least one characteristic of a load current.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal lens with a variable focal length. The gradient profile of the liquid crystals molecules that causes the gradient profile of the refractive index is achieved by inducing non-uniformly distributed anchoring energy and an external electric or magnetic field applied to the liquid crystal layer. Unlike existing electrically controlled liquid crystal lens, the external electric or magnetic field has a uniform spatial distribution within the liquid crystal layer. The focal length of the liquid crystal lens is controlled via the non-uniformly distributed anchoring energy and by varying the uniformly distributed electric or magnetic field.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method for preparing an aqueous dispersion of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The method includes grinding an iron (II) hydrated salt, an iron (III) hydrated salt, an inorganic salt, and alkali hydroxide in a grinding or milling machine. The inorganic salt may be a salt matrix that prevents growth and aggregation of the synthesized nanoparticles. The aqueous dispersion of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles may optionally be hydrothermally treated to become an aqueous dispersion of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a method for preparing an mixture of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles and ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles, in which at least an iron (III) hydrated salt, an inorganic salt, and alkali hydroxide are ground in a grinding or milling machine. Uses for the nanoparticles include: a magnetic resonance image contrast agent, a color print ink, an artificial tanning pigment, a photocatalyst for degradation of organic dye, a red pigment, an adsorbent for waste water treatment, a catalyst support, and a catalyst.

Abstract: An azo compound of the present invention is represented by the general formula (1): (wherein, R1 and R2 each independently represents a hydroxy group, or a polymerizable functional group selected from the group consisting of a (meth)acryloyl group, a (meth)acryloyloxy group, a (meth)acrylamide group, a vinyl group, a vinyloxy group, and a maleimide group; X1 represents single bond when R1 is a hydroxy group and represents a linking group represented by -(A1-B1)m- when R1 is a polymerizable functional group; X2 represents a single bond when R2 is a hydroxy group and represents a linking group represented by -(A2-B2)n- when R2 is a polymerizable functional group; R3 and R4 each independently represents —OR7, a hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or —CONR8R9; and R5 and R6 each independently represents a carboxy group, a sulfo group, a nitro group, amino group, or a hydroxy group).

Abstract: Algorithms are described that facilitate the inference of a network topology by estimating router co-ordinates and merging anonymous routers. The algorithms have practical applications in the inference of a network topology as part of the provision of a network service that is based on the underlying topology and where knowledge of the actual topology allows improved performance.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus described herein are associated with devices including hybrid electrodes. A heterostructure semiconductor transistor can include a III-N-type semiconductor heterostructure including a barrier layer overlying an active layer and a hybrid electrode region including a hybrid drain electrode region. Further, a heterostructure semiconductor rectifier can include a III-N-type semiconductor heterostructure and a hybrid electrode region including a hybrid cathode electrode region. Furthermore, the hybrid electrode region of the transistor and rectifier can include permanently trapped charge located under a Schottky contact of the hybrid electrode region.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for simultaneously separating two highly pure fullerenes from a mixture of fullerenes via crystallization, by (i) adjusting the amount of solvent in the mixture fed to a first crystallizer to obtain a phase equilibrium behavior so a first fullerene component of the two fullerenes, in the form of pure crystal, solid solution crystal, or solvate crystal is obtained; (ii) adjusting the amount of solvent in another mixture fed to a second crystallizer, operating at a temperature different from the first crystallizer, to obtain a phase equilibrium behavior so a second fullerene component of the two fullerenes, in the form of pure crystal, solid solution crystal, or solvate crystal is obtained; and additionally (iii) purifying the solid solution or the solvate into highly pure fullerene, when the solid product from the crystallizers is in the form of solid solution or solvate.

Abstract: Described herein is an efficient encryption method and system having improved security features based on randomness. The method and system utilize a random dictionary insertion and a random dictionary permutation, and a key stream generated by a stream cipher. Security analysis results show that the method and system provides a higher level of security without incurring any coding efficiency loss, compared with a existing encoding methods.

Abstract: An optical sensor has at least one pixel that generates an output voltage that changes at a rate dependent on the light intensity incident on the pixel. The time for the pixel output voltage to change from a first predefined level to a second predefined level is measured, so as to produce an output indicative of the incident light intensity.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for adaptively zeroing out transform coefficients utilizing a bit-stealing parameter are presented herein. A partitioning component can be configured to separate an image into blocks of video data. Further, a frequency transform component can be configured to transform pixels of a block of the blocks into transform coefficients. Furthermore, a bit-stealing quantization component configured to predefine quantization intervals. Moreover, the bit-stealing quantization component can modify a size of a quantization interval of the quantization intervals based on a variable bit-stealing parameter. Further, the bit-stealing component can quantize a transform coefficient of the transform coefficients, based on the quantization interval, to a quantized coefficient value of quantized coefficient values.

Abstract: A method and kit of parts for measuring the comfortable shape of a foot for a person. The kit comprises front and rear platforms of adjustable height and a supporting surface for accommodating the plantar surface of a foot extending between said platforms. The aforementioned components can be adjusted to various settings with a view to determining a comfortable plantar foot shape. The foot shape can then be captured by scanning with an optical or mechanical probe or scanner. A method of making a customized shoe and shoe last on basis of the captured foot shape is also disclosed.

Abstract: A locking range enhancement technique is described that steers away part of the DC current and reuses it to generate more injected AC current to the injection-locked resonator-based frequency dividers (ILFDs). The injection-enhanced ILFDs maintain the key features of ILFDs, which are high speed and low power consumption, without requiring any extra inductive component and thus extra chip area.

Abstract: A micropolarimeter is described for simultaneously extracting all Stokes parameters from incident light. The micropolarimeter includes at least one superpixel, which further includes three or more subpixels, each exact a different polarization components from the incident light. The micropolarimeter includes a first and second alignment layers and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second alignment layers. The liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are aligned in accordance with the first and second alignment layers to form the superpixel. A method is provided for manufacturing the photo-aligned liquid-crystal micropolarimeter array.

Abstract: A low-dropout regulator comprises a high-gain error amplifier having a differential input stage and a single-ended output, a high-swing high-positive-gain second stage with input connecting to the output of the error amplifier and a single-ended output, a p-type MOS transistor with gate terminal connecting to the output of the second stage, source terminal connecting to the supply voltage, and drain terminal to the output of the low-dropout regulator. A first-order high-pass feedback network connects the output of the low-dropout regulator and the positive input of the error amplifier, and a damping-factor-control means comprising a negative gain stage with a feedback capacitor connects the input and output of this gain stage. A capacitor is connected between the output of the error amplifier and the output of the low-dropout regulator, while a voltage reference connects to the negative input of the error amplifier.