Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor processing apparatus according to one embodiment. The semiconductor processing apparatus includes a chamber; a base station located in the chamber for supporting a semiconductor substrate; a preheating assembly surrounding the base station; a first heating element fixed relative to the base station and configured to direct heat to the semiconductor substrate; and a second heating element moveable relative to the base station and operable to direct heat to a portion of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first fin and a second fin protruding from a frontside of a substrate, forming a gate stack over the first and second fins, forming a dielectric feature dividing the gate stack into a first segment engaging the first fin and a second segment engaging the second fin, and growing a first epitaxial feature on the first fin and a second epitaxial feature on the second fin. The dielectric feature is disposed between the first and second epitaxial features. The method also includes performing an etching process on a backside of the substrate to form a backside trench, and forming a backside via in the backside trench. The backside trench exposes the dielectric feature and the first and second epitaxial features. The backside via straddles the dielectric feature and is in electrical connection with the first and second epitaxial features.

Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe is enhanced by creating 3-D models of shoe parts. For example, a laser beam may be projected onto a shoe-part surface, such that a projected laser line appears on the shoe part. An image of the projected laser line may be analyzed to determine coordinate information, which may be converted into geometric coordinate values usable to create a 3-D model of the shoe part. Once a 3-D model is known and is converted to a coordinate system recognized by shoe-manufacturing tools, certain manufacturing steps may be automated.

Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated fashion. For example, information describing a shoe part may be determined, such as an identification, an orientation, a color, a surface topography, an alignment, a size, etc. Based on the information describing the shoe part, automated shoe-manufacturing apparatuses may be instructed to apply various shoe-manufacturing processes to the shoe part, such as a pickup and placement of the shoe part with a pickup tool.

Abstract: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) structures are provided. An ESD structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a first epitaxy region with a first type of conductivity over the semiconductor substrate, a second epitaxy region with a second type of conductivity over the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of semiconductor layers. The semiconductor layers are stacked over the semiconductor substrate and between the first and second epitaxy regions. A first conductive feature is formed over the first epitaxy region and outside an oxide diffusion region. A second conductive feature is formed over the second epitaxy region and outside the oxide diffusion region. A third conductive feature is formed over the first epitaxy region and within the oxide diffusion region. A fourth conductive feature is formed over the second epitaxy region and within the oxide diffusion region. The oxide diffusion region is disposed between the first and second conductive features.

Abstract: Methods and systems for dry etching are disclosed. The system includes a wafer clamp ring having a central opening through which a substrate may be treated and a plurality of smaller, outer support holes for receiving pins from plunger assemblies. The outer support holes are tapered and change in diameter. The tapered shape reduces horizontal shifting of the wafer clamp ring which can occur as the wafer clamp ring is moved up-and-down during operational use. The reduced shifting increases wafer yield along the edges of the wafer.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a device configured to optimize an energy storage strategy of a community comprising a plurality of households. Further, the disclosure relates to a cloud computing device configured to optimize an energy storage strategy of a community comprising a plurality of households. Further, the disclosure relates to an electric vehicle associated with a household in a community comprising a plurality of households, the electric vehicle comprising a battery aging model indicative of a battery aging status of a battery pack of said electric vehicle. Further, the disclosure relates to methods directed to optimize energy storage of households and communities.

Abstract: The present invention is a sexual need interactive platform system, which comprises a content server equipped with a content central processor and a content internal memory for providing a human-machine interaction software; a communication device having a central processor and an internal memory; and a sensor assembly comprising a sensor having 3 or more axes and at least one feedback device, which is electrically connected to the communication device, the sensor having 3 or more axes is worn on an active part of a user for the user to generate a sensor signal, after a user's activity is identified and a classification signal is generated through executing the human-machine interaction software, the classification signal is then converted into a control signal for controlling a content of the human-machine interaction software, and a response generated by the content based on the control signal is transmitted to the feedback device for feed-backing a result of the user's activity, wherein the content server

Abstract: An electric vehicle thermal management system and method utilizing power demand models for both propulsion and auxiliary systems, and an intelligent thermal load management module. A navigation unit formulates potential routes to a destination that is either set by a driver or predicted by a drive cycle prediction module. The routes are used to inform the propulsion power demand model, while historical driving patterns based on GPS data and time-dependent climate inputs inform the auxiliary power demand model. The expected power demands for the individual systems and overall combined system are accounted for in calculations performed by optimization algorithms in an intelligent thermal load management module. The calculations produce desired temperature setpoints which send heating and cooling requests to refrigerant and coolant fluid handlers and subsequent actuators that control the refrigerant and coolant fluid loops.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating a hybrid electric vehicle. According to the method, a route information is received in the form of a plurality of parameter sets, each parameter set relating to a segment of a route (S1). Subsequently, a power demand is estimated for each segment (S3) and a portion of an amount of energy being stored in the electric storage device is allocated to at least one of the segments. Alternatively or additionally, an amount of energy to be transferred into the electric storage device is allocated to at least one of the segments (S4). Additionally, at least one reference trajectory describing a state-of-energy of the electric storage device over the route resulting from the energy allocation is derived (S5). The operation of the hybrid electric vehicle is controlled as a function of a slope between a current state-of-energy and an upcoming control point on the reference trajectory (S7).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for determining a starting condition for cleaning a brake disk. A first step (S1) of this method determines that an amount of rust on the brake disk exceeds a defined threshold. Additionally, an energy quantity being necessary for removing the amount of rust from the brake disk is determined (S2). In a further step (S3), a distribution of brake energy over a current drive is estimated by using at least one parameter describing historic driving behavior and at least one parameter characterizing the current drive cycle. Subsequently, a starting speed and a starting brake force request is derived (S4). Additionally, a method for cleaning a brake disk is presented which comprises the determination of a starting condition for cleaning the brake disk by the method mentioned before. Moreover, a data processing device comprising means for carrying out said methods is explained.