Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing a powdery diacetal clarifying agent, which comprises mixing an aromatic aldehyde, a polyol, and an acid catalyst in an organic polar solvent, adding a hydrogenating agent and an inorganic silicon-containing agent into the foregoing mixture, and filtering the mixture. The powdery diacetal clarifying agent prepared by the method can have excellent flowability, dispersability, thermal resistance, and color stability. Accordingly, the powdery diacetal clarifying agent does not release stinking odor and incur yellowing at high temperature, allowing the plastic articles to have improved appearance and visual appeal.

Abstract: Reducing nuisance notifications from building automation systems is described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a notification of an alarm from a building automation system, compare attributes of the alarm to attributes of alarms included in a database of suppressed alarms, refrain from transmitting a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm matching attributes of any of the alarms in the database, and transmit a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm not matching the attributes of any of the alarms in the database.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and systems for translating building automation events into mobile notifications are described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a notification of an event from a building automation system, translate the event into a mobile notification of the event, and transmit the mobile notification of the event to a mobile device.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar control film includes: a step of applying an arc-plasma coating process to deposit a first dielectric layer on a soft substrate, the first dielectric layer containing Ti; a step of depositing a first metal layer on the first dielectric layer; a step of applying the arc-plasma coating process to deposit a second dielectric layer on the first metal layer, the second dielectric layer containing the Ti; a step of depositing a second metal layer on the second dielectric layer; and, a step of applying the arc-plasma coating process to deposit a third dielectric layer on the second metal layer, the third dielectric layer containing the Ti. In addition, a solar control film is also provided.

Abstract: A haptic feedback device for steering simulation comprises a base unit and a rolling unit. The base unit includes a base, a base supporting body, a first rolling component, and a second rolling component. A roll center line is formed by the first and the second rolling components. The rolling unit includes a rolling base and a rolling supporting body. One part of the rolling base is pivotally connected to the first rolling component, and one part of the rolling supporting body is pivotally connected to the second rolling component, so that the rolling base can rotate around the roll center line and a cone rotation can be performed. A length-adjustable actuator is disposed on the rolling supporting body, so that rectilinear motion with orthogonal direction can be performed by the rolling base on the radius tangent of cone rotation.

Abstract: A method for measuring a thickness of a thin film includes: a step of basing on a training database to establish an artificial neural network, the training database including a plurality of modified spectra and a plurality of film thicknesses corresponding individually to the plurality of modified spectra; a step of measuring a sample having a coated film so as to obtain a spectrum; and, a step of running the artificial neural network already trained by the plurality of modified spectra so as to use the spectrum to estimate a thickness of the coated film on the sample. In addition, a system related to the method for measuring a thickness of a thin film is provided to include a measuring unit, a spectrometer and a processing unit.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein for fabricating semiconductor devices having shared source/drain contacts. An exemplary semiconductor device includes a high-k/metal gate stack disposed over a substrate. The high-k/metal gate stack is disposed between a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature. A first spacer set is disposed along sidewalls of the high-k/metal gate stack. A first interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer is disposed over the substrate. Upper portions of the first spacer set that extend above the first ILD layer have a tapered width. A second spacer set is disposed on the upper portions of the first spacer set and over the first ILD layer. A second ILD layer is disposed over the first ILD layer. A contact feature extends through the second ILD layer to the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature. The contact feature spans uninterrupted between the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature.

Abstract: Reducing nuisance notifications from building automation systems is described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a notification of an alarm from a building automation system, compare attributes of the alarm to attributes of alarms included in a database of suppressed alarms, refrain from transmitting a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm matching attributes of any of the alarms in the database, and transmit a notification of the alarm to a mobile device in response to the attributes of the alarm not matching the attributes of any of the alarms in the database.

Abstract: A haptic feedback device with steering simulation comprises a base unit, a rolling unit, a carrying unit, and a power unit. The base unit includes a base platform. The rolling unit includes a rolling base pivotally connected to the base platform, so that the rolling base opposed to the base platform can swing in leftward or rightward direction. The carrying unit includes a horizontal carriage body, and a vertical supporting body. Bottom of the vertical supporting body is pivotally connected to the rolling base, and top of the vertical supporting body is connected to the horizontal carriage body. The power unit includes a first power component controlling movement of the horizontal carriage body, and a second power unit controlling the swing of the rolling unit.

Abstract: A storage device receiving an external instruction from a host includes a plurality of flash memory spaces and a controller. The controller receives the external instruction, queues the external instruction in a first command queue, translates the external instruction into a plurality of operation commands, and sequentially executes the operation commands to respectively operate the flash memory spaces. The controller further gives an identity code to at least one specific operation command to track the execution result of the specific operation command.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a fin-like field-effect transistor device is disclosed. The method includes forming mandrel features over a substrate and performing a first cut to remove mandrel features to form a first space. The method also includes performing a second cut to remove a portion of mandrel features to form a line-end and an end-to-end space. After the first and the second cuts, the substrate is etched using the mandrel features, with the first space and the end-to-end space as an etch mask, to form fins. Depositing a space layer to fully fill in a space between adjacent fins and cover sidewalls of the fins adjacent to the first space and the end-to-end space. The spacer layer is etched to form sidewall spacers on the fins adjacent to the first space and the end-to-end space and an isolation trench is formed in the first space and the end-to-end space.

Abstract: A memory device receiving a host instruction generated by a host includes a flash memory array and a controller. The controller translates the host instruction into operation instructions, queues the operation instructions in a major command queue, and performs an operation on the flash memory array according to the operation instructions. When an error occurs during execution of the operation commands, the controller performs an error-handling process, queues operation commands related to the error-handling process in an auxiliary command queue, sequentially executes the operation commands in the auxiliary command queue, and stops executing the major command queue.

Abstract: A haptic feedback device for steering simulation comprises a base unit and a rolling unit. The base unit includes a base, a base supporting body, a first rolling component, and a second rolling component. A roll center line is formed by the first and the second rolling components. The rolling unit includes a rolling base and a rolling supporting body. One part of the rolling base is pivotally connected to the first rolling component, and one part of the rolling supporting body is pivotally connected to the second rolling component, so that the rolling base can rotate around the roll center line and a cone rotation can be performed. A length-adjustable actuator is disposed on the rolling supporting body, so that rectilinear motion with orthogonal direction can be performed by the rolling base on the radius tangent of cone rotation.

Abstract: An exhaust structure includes an intake section including a first high thermal conductivity material, the intake section having an inlet, an output section including a second high thermal conductivity material, the output section having an outlet, and a piping section including a third high thermal conductivity material, the piping section being configured to communicatively couple the intake section with the output section. The exhaust structure provides a high thermal conductivity path from the inlet to the outlet, the high thermal conductivity path including the first high thermal conductivity material, the second high thermal conductivity material, and the third high thermal conductivity material.

Abstract: A process for forming a seam construction on a substrate includes steps of: a) providing a first thread coated with a first curable resinous material; b) providing a second thread coated with a second curable resinous material; c) forming a stitch knot; and d) curing the stitch knot to chemically bond the first and second curable resinous materials together.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating semiconductor devices are disclosed. An exemplary method includes forming first spacers along sidewalls of a gate structure that is disposed over a substrate and between source/drain features. A first dielectric layer is formed over the substrate and recessed to expose upper portions of the first spacers. A spacer layer is then formed over the upper portions of the first spacers. A second dielectric layer is formed over the spacer layer, and a patterned masking layer is formed over the second dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer, the spacer layer, and the first dielectric layer are patterned. For example, exposed portions of the second dielectric layer, the spacer layer (forming second spacers disposed along the upper portions of the first spacers), and the first dielectric layer are etched to form a trench exposing the gate structure and the source/drain features. The trench is filled with a conductive material.

Abstract: A lithography method is provided in accordance with some embodiments. The lithography method includes forming a surface modification layer on a substrate, the surface modification layer including a hydrophilic top surface; coating a photoresist layer on the surface modification layer; and developing the photoresist layer, thereby forming a patterned photoresist layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a fin-like field-effect transistor device is disclosed. The method includes forming mandrel features over a substrate and performing a first cut to remove mandrel features to form a first space. The method also includes performing a second cut to remove a portion of mandrel features to form a line-end and an end-to-end space. After the first and the second cuts, the substrate is etched using the mandrel features, with the first space and the end-to-end space as an etch mask, to form fins. Depositing a space layer to fully fill in a space between adjacent fins and cover sidewalls of the fins adjacent to the first space and the end-to-end space. The spacer layer is etched to form sidewall spacers on the fins adjacent to the first space and the end-to-end space and an isolation trench is formed in the first space and the end-to-end space.

Abstract: Provided are a powdery diacetal clarifying agent and a method of preparing the same. The powdery diacetal clarifying agent comprises a diacetal compound and an inorganic silicon-containing compound having a pH value equal to or more than 6 and equal to or less than 12. The powdery diacetal clarifying agent of the composition can have excellent flowability, dispersability, thermal resistance, and color stability. Accordingly, the powdery diacetal clarifying agent does not release stinking odor and incur yellowing at high temperature, allowing the plastic articles to have improved appearance and visual appeal.

Abstract: A data processing method of a multimedia device is disclosed. The multimedia device pauses playback of multimedia data in response to a pause signal. The method includes: buffering the multimedia data before the pause signal is received to obtain prerecorded multimedia data; writing the prerecorded multimedia data into a storage unit in response to the pause signal; reading the prerecorded multimedia data from the storage unit in response to a playback signal; and playing the prerecorded multimedia data.