Abstract: Described herein are integrated benchtop semiconductor process cells and cell-based semiconductor fabs. A cell includes a tool compartment in which one or more semiconductor process tools are positioned. Each process tool is modular and assembled from units that define the tool configuration and functionality. The cell also comprises one or more support modules fluidically coupled to the semiconductor process tools and external connections. As such, a cell can be operable as a standalone unit with minimal external connections, it can be integrated with one or more additional cells to form a cell-based semiconductor fab. A cell can have a minimal footprint (e.g., less than 2-3 square meters) while supporting one or more tools (e.g., four different tools). As such, an entire semiconductor fab can be formed with minimal facility requirements (e.g., space, power) to produce low-volume devices. Also provided are semiconductor tool libraries for such purposes.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include at least one HA operation device that includes a user-settable thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system associated with a living area of a user. The HA system may also include a controller. The controller may be configured to collect user thermostat setting data from the user-settable thermostat, and use machine learning to identify a health condition of the user based upon the user thermostat setting data.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include, within a senior living facility, a cloud server, HA operation devices and HA user interface devices for respective users. Each HA user interface device may wirelessly communicate with the HA operation devices and the cloud server. HA hub devices may provide communications for the HA user interface devices, the HA operation devices, and the cloud server. A caregiver interface device may cooperate with the cloud server to display contextual information for a respective user. The cloud server may cooperate with the caregiver interface device to determine when the caregiver interface device is within a room in the senior living facility associated with the respective user, and when so, determine a current operation of a given HA operation device, determine the contextual information based upon the current operation of the given HA operation device, and communicate the contextual information to the caregiver interface device.

Abstract: Dual channel wireless communication system for monitoring and/or control of a machine (112), such as a press brake, by a remote interface device (10, 12) that communicates data with a machine controller (18) over two channels CH1, CH2 in parallel. Also, a system and method to determine whether a remote interface device (10, 12) is within a range or zone of a machine (112) that the remote interface device wirelessly monitors and/or controls, uses an ultrasound transmitter-receiver arrangement (100, 102) and an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter-receiver arrangement (104, 106, 108, 110) to determine difference in ultrasound and EM time of flight and therefore whether or not the remote interface device is permitted to monitor and/or control the machine or is within range to monitor and/or control the machine.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include a first HA device having a network address associated therewith. The first HA device may include a first wireless device to receive a network address request using a first wireless protocol, and a second wireless device to transmit the network address using a second wireless protocol. The HA system may also include a second HA device. The second HA device may include a first wireless device to transmit the network address request to the first wireless device of the first HA device. The second HA device may also include a second wireless device receiving the network address and using the network address to communicate with the second wireless device of the first HA device using the second wireless protocol.

Abstract: Dual channel wireless communication system for monitoring and/or control of a machine (112), such as a press brake, by a remote interface device (10,12) that communicates data with a machine controller (18) over two channels CH1, CH2 in parallel. Also, a system and method to determine whether a remote interface device (10, 12) is within a range or zone of a machine (112) that the remote interface device wirelessly monitors and/or controls, uses an ultrasound transmitter-receiver arrangement (100, 102) and an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter-receiver arrangement (104, 106, 108, 110) to determine difference in ultrasound and EM time of flight and therefore whether or not the remote interface device is permitted to monitor and/or control the machine or is within range to monitor and/or control the machine.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include a first HA device having a network address associated therewith. The first HA device may include a first wireless device to transmit the network address using a first wireless protocol, and a second wireless device using a second wireless protocol. The HA system may also include a second HA device. The second HA device may include a first wireless device to receive the network address from the first wireless device of the first HA device, and a second wireless device using the network address to communicate with the second wireless device of the first HA device using the second wireless protocol.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices and a user interface device configured to permit user social networking and generate user social networking data based thereon. The HA system may also include a controller and a memory coupled thereto and configured to store measured user health data and determine user physical activity data based upon the addressable HA devices. The controller and the memory may be configured to generate a user health score based upon the user social networking data, user health data, and user physical activity data and communicate the user health score via the cloud.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include a first HA device having a network address associated therewith. The first HA device may include a first wireless device to receive a network address request using a first wireless protocol, and a second wireless device to transmit the network address using a second wireless protocol. The HA system may also include a second HA device. The second HA device may include a first wireless device to transmit the network address request to the first wireless device of the first HA device. The second HA device may also include a second wireless device receiving the network address and using the network address to communicate with the second wireless device of the first HA device using the second wireless protocol.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include a first HA device having a network address associated therewith. The first HA device may include a first wireless device to transmit the network address using a first wireless protocol, and a second wireless device using a second wireless protocol. The HA system may also include a second HA device. The second HA device may include a first wireless device to receive the network address from the first wireless device of the first HA device, and a second wireless device using the network address to communicate with the second wireless device of the first HA device using the second wireless protocol.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include HA operation devices and HA user interface devices for respective users. Each HA user interface device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one of the HA operation devices. The HA system may also include HA hub devices configured to provide communications for the HA user interface devices and the HA operation devices. A cloud server may be configured to communicate with the HA hub devices, determine a needed maintenance operation for a given one of the HA operation devices, and communicate the needed maintenance operation to the given one of the HA operation devices. The cloud server may also be configured to duplicate communicating the needed maintenance operation to others of the HA operation devices.

Abstract: A climate control system may include a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for an indoor building area. The climate control system may also include a home automation (HA) thermostat device in the indoor building area. The HA thermostat device may include a housing, an indoor temperature sensor carried by the housing to sense an indoor temperature of the indoor building area, and a temperature controller carried by the housing. The temperature controller may obtain a setpoint temperature for the indoor building area, obtain an external temperature from the external to indoor building area, and determine a crossing of the external temperature of the setpoint temperature. The HA temperature controller may also switch the HVAC system between operating modes for heating and cooling based upon the crossing of the external temperature of the setpoint temperature and the indoor temperature moving beyond the setpoint temperature by a threshold temperature difference.

Abstract: A substrate processing system that is optimized for the production of smaller volumes of semiconductor components is disclosed. To minimize cost, the substrate processing system is designed to accommodate smaller substrates, such as substrates having a diameter of roughly one inch. Additionally, the components of the substrate processing system are designed to be interchangeable, thereby further reducing cost and complexity. In certain embodiments, the substrate processing system comprises a lower assembly, which may be used with one or more upper assemblies. The lower assembly is used to support the substrate and provide many of the fluid, electrical, and sensor connections, while the upper assemblies include the apparatus required to perform a certain fabrication function. For example, different upper assemblies may exist for deposition, etching, sputtering and ion implantation.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include a cloud server, HA operation devices within a senior living facility, and HA user interface devices for respective users within the senior living facility. Each HA user interface device may include a user input device, a display defining a user interface (UI), and a controller. The HA system may include HA hub devices within the senior living facility to provide communications for the cloud server, the HA user interface devices, and the HA operation devices. The controller may send user interaction data to the cloud server and operate the UI according to a user cognitive level. The cloud server may be configured to determine the user cognitive level based upon the user interaction data received from a given HA user interface device, and send the user cognitive level to the given HA user interface device.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices and an HA interface device that includes a housing, a display, and an audio input device carried by the housing. The HA interface device may also include a controller carried by the housing to store HA device signatures of the addressable HA devices and determine an unpaired addressable HA device and compare the associated HA device signature of the unpaired addressable HA device with the stored HA device signatures. The controller may also, when there is a match between the HA device signature of the unpaired addressable HA device and one of the stored HA device signatures, permit pairing of the unpaired addressable HA device to communicate with the unpaired addressable HA device using a respective wireless communications protocol, and selectively operate paired addressable HA devices based upon voice commands received via the audio input device.

Abstract: A substrate processing system that is optimized for the production of smaller volumes of semiconductor components is disclosed. To minimize cost, the substrate processing system is designed to accommodate smaller substrates, such as substrates having a diameter of roughly one inch. Additionally, the components of the substrate processing system are designed to be interchangeable, thereby further reducing cost and complexity. In certain embodiments, the substrate processing system comprises a lower assembly, which may be used with one or more upper assemblies. The lower assembly is used to support the substrate and provide many of the fluid, electrical, and sensor connections, while the upper assemblies include the apparatus required to perform a certain fabrication function. For example, different upper assemblies may exist for deposition, etching, sputtering and ion implantation.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include addressable HA devices each having associated therewith a respective device capability, device configuration, and device state. The HA system may also include a cloud message queue controller and a cloud message queue memory coupled thereto in the cloud for storing the device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices. The HA system may also include a home device message queue controller and a home device message queue memory coupled thereto for storing the device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices. The cloud message queue controller and the home device message queue controller may synchronize device configurations, device capabilities, and device states for the addressable HA devices.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include first and second HA operation devices within a structure. The second HA operation device may be switchable among sleep, awake, and operational modes. The second HA device may have a longer latency when switched between the sleep and awake modes than when switched between the awake and operational modes. An HA user interface device for a respective user may be within the structure and be configured to wirelessly communicate with the first and second HA operation devices to perform an HA operation. An HA hub device may be within the structure to provide communications for the HA user interface device and the first and second HA operation devices. The HA hub device may be configured to, when the first HA operation device is operated, switch the second HA operation device between the sleep and awake modes.

Abstract: A home automation (HA) system may include at least one HA operation device that includes a user-settable thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system associated with a living area of a user. The HA system may also include a controller. The controller may be configured to collect user thermostat setting data from the user-settable thermostat, and use machine learning to identify a health condition of the user based upon the user thermostat setting data.

Abstract: The present invention harnesses the power of mutagenesis to produce an attenuated RNA virus in a very short period, i.e. as soon as the complete sequence of the target virus is known and an infectious genome can be produced.