Abstract: A thermostat for a building zone includes at least one of a model predictive controller and an equipment controller. The model predictive controller is configured to obtain a cost function that accounts for a cost of operating HVAC equipment during each of a plurality of time steps, use a predictive model to predict a temperature of the building zone during each of the plurality of time steps, and generate temperature setpoints for the building zone for each of the plurality of time steps by optimizing the cost function subject to a constraint on the predicted temperature. The equipment controller is configured to receive the temperature setpoints generated by the model predictive controller and drive the temperature of the building zone toward the temperature setpoints during each of the plurality of time steps by operating the HVAC equipment to provide heating or cooling to the building zone.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor structure with a photodiode including: a well region with a first-type conductivity in a substrate, a trench in the well region, and multiple conformal semiconductor layers in the trench. The semiconductor layers include a first semiconductor layer, which is, for example, an intrinsic semiconductor layer and lines the trench, and a second semiconductor layer, which has a second-type conductivity and which is on the first semiconductor layer within (but not filling) the trench and which also extends outside the trench onto a dielectric layer. An additional dielectric layer extends over and caps a cavity that is at least partially within the trench such that surfaces of the second semiconductor layer are exposed within the cavity. Fluid inlet/outlet ports extend to the cavity and contacts extend to the well region and to the second semiconductor layer. Also disclosed are methods for forming and using the semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A controller for performing automated system identification. The controller includes processors and non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations including generating a predictive model to predict system dynamics of a space of a building based on environmental condition inputs and including performing an optimization of a cost function of operating building equipment over a time duration to determine a setpoint for the building equipment. The optimization is performed based on the predictive model. The operations include operating the building equipment based on the setpoint to affect a variable state or condition of the space and include monitoring prediction error metrics over time. The operations include, in response to detecting one of the prediction error metrics exceeds a threshold value, updating the predictive model.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing health risks with respect to an infectious disease in buildings. Health data for an infectious diseases is used to determine a health risk level for building spaces and individuals in the building. An air handling action or a disinfection action is performed based on the health risk level.

Abstract: A thermostat for a building zone includes at least one of a model predictive controller and an equipment controller. The model predictive controller is configured to obtain a cost function that accounts for a cost of operating HVAC equipment during each of a plurality of time steps, use a predictive model to predict a temperature of the building zone during each of the plurality of time steps, and generate temperature setpoints for the building zone for each of the plurality of time steps by optimizing the cost function subject to a constraint on the predicted temperature. The equipment controller is configured to receive the temperature setpoints generated by the model predictive controller and drive the temperature of the building zone toward the temperature setpoints during each of the plurality of time steps by operating the HVAC equipment to provide heating or cooling to the building zone.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) with a buried trap rich region and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a trap rich isolation region embedded within the bulk substrate; and a heterojunction bipolar transistor above the trap rich isolation region, with its sub-collector region separated by the trap rich isolation region by a layer of the bulk substrate.

Abstract: A controller for chillers that operate to serve a cooling load of a building or facility obtains a first balance constraint that requires balance between chilled water production and consumption and obtains a second balance constraint that requires balance between water, electricity, or steam consumption and production. The controller solves a control problem using the first balance constraint and the second balance constraint to determine an amount of the chilled water to be produced by the chillers and an amount of the water, electricity, or steam to be consumed by the chillers or other equipment. The controller operates the chillers in accordance with a setpoint to consume the amount of the water, electricity, or steam or produce the amount of the chilled water determined by solving the control problem. The amount of chilled water is delivered for use in serving the cooling load of the building or facility.

Abstract: Disclosed are a structure with a multi-level field plate and a method of forming the structure. The field plate includes multiple first conductors on a dielectric layer and separated from each other by spaces with different widths (e.g., by with progressively decreasing widths). A conformal additional dielectric layer extends over the first conductors and onto the dielectric layer within the spaces. The field plate also includes, on the additional dielectric layer, second conductor(s) with portions thereof extending into the spaces. Within the spaces, the second conductor portions are at different heights (e.g., at progressively increasing heights) above the dielectric layer. Such a field plate can be incorporated into a transistor (e.g., a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT)) to, not only reduce the peak of an electric field exhibited proximal to a gate terminal, but to ensure the electric field is essentially uniform level between the gate and drain terminals.

Abstract: A controller for operating building equipment of a building including processors and non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations including obtaining a first setpoint trajectory from a cloud computation system. The first setpoint trajectory includes setpoints for the building equipment or for a space of the building. The setpoints correspond to time steps of an optimization period. The operations include determining whether a connection between the controller and the cloud computation system is active or inactive at a time step of the optimization period and determining an active setpoint for the time step of the optimization period using either the first or second setpoint trajectory based on whether the connection between the controller and the cloud computation system is active or inactive at the time step. The operations include operating the building equipment based on the active setpoint.

Abstract: A controller is provided for building equipment including a plurality of devices that operate in parallel to affect an environmental condition of a building. The controller includes one or more processing circuits including one or more processors and memory. The memory store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include lowering an upper bound or raising a lower bound of one or more constraints based on a minimum off schedule or a minimum on schedule for the building equipment, performing an optimization of an objective function subject to the one or more constraints to generate control decisions for the building equipment, and operating the building equipment in accordance with the control decisions to affect the environmental condition of the building.

Abstract: One implementation of the present disclosure is a controller for a variable refrigerant flow system. The controller includes processors and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations including identifying zones within a structure, generating zone groupings defining zone groups and specifying which of the zones are grouped together to form each of the zone groups, generating metric of success values corresponding to the zone groupings and indicating a control feasibility of a corresponding zone grouping, selecting a zone grouping based on the metric of success values, and using the selected zone grouping to operate equipment of the variable refrigerant flow system to provide heating or cooling to the zones.

Abstract: A controller for a system of equipment that operate to produce or consume one or more resources includes one or more processing circuits configured to generate a resource balance constraint using a balance between a first amount of each resource and a second amount of each resource. The first amount of each resource includes at least an amount of the resource produced by the equipment. The second amount of each resource includes at least an amount of the resource consumed by the equipment. The one or more processing circuits are configured to perform a control process using the resource balance constraint to determine amounts of each resource to be produced or consumed by the equipment and operate the equipment to produce or consume the amounts of each resource determined by the control process.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a semiconductor on insulator substrate with cavity structures and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a bulk substrate with at least one rectilinear cavity structure; an insulator material sealing the at least one rectilinear cavity structure; and a buried insulator layer on the bulk substrate and over the at least one rectilinear cavity structure.

Abstract: A photodiode and a related method of manufacture are disclosed. The photodiode includes a transfer gate and a floating diffusion adjacent to the transfer gate. In addition, the photodiode includes an upper terminal; an intrinsic semiconductor region in contact with the upper terminal, the intrinsic semiconductor region in a trench in a substrate adjacent to the transfer gate; and a lower terminal in contact with the intrinsic semiconductor region. An insulator layer is along an entirety of a sidewall of the intrinsic semiconductor region and between the intrinsic semiconductor region and the transfer gate. A p-type well may also optionally be between the insulator layer and the transfer gate.

Abstract: A dissolvable stretch ring including a biodegradable polymer positioned on or adjacent to at least one haptic of an intraocular lens (IOL) is described. The dissolvable stretch ring can be included in an IOL arrangement, comprising an IOL an IOL body and at least one haptic extending directly or indirectly from the IOL body, and the dissolvable stretch ring. A method of implanting an IOL into an eye of a subject including the steps of inserting an IOL comprising an IOL body and at least one haptic extending directly or indirectly from the IOL body into the capsular bag of the eye and positioning a dissolvable stretch ring comprising a biodegradable polymer on at least one haptic of the IOL is also described.

Abstract: A polymer ring configured to fit around or adjacent to an intraocular lens is described. The polymer ring comprises a hyaluronic acid derivative and a drug. An intraocular lens comprising a polymer ring positioned on or adjacent to the intraocular lens is also described. In addition, a method of delivering a drug to an eye of a subject is described. The method includes inserting an intraocular lens into the eye of the subject, and positioning polymer ring onto at least a portion of the intraocular lens, wherein the polymer ring comprises a hyaluronic acid derivative and a drug.

Abstract: A system and method for removing a backing from a ply of composite material is disclosed. The system includes a roller having a roller axis and a roller surface that circumscribes the roller axis. The system also includes an adhesion feature disposed on the roller surface. The system further includes a roller drive to move the roller along a travel path that is perpendicular to the roller axis and to rotate the roller about the roller axis.

Abstract: A system and method for removing a backing from a ply of composite material is disclosed. The system includes a roller having a roller axis and a roller surface that circumscribes the roller axis. The system also includes an adhesion feature disposed on the roller surface. The system further includes a roller drive to move the roller along a travel path that is perpendicular to the roller axis and to rotate the roller about the roller axis.

Abstract: An insertion system for inserting an IOL int a patient's eye is provided. The insertion system includes a pusher and an introducer sheath with a back housing and a front housing. The front housing includes a longitudinally extending IOL rolling member with a proximal section, an intermediate section, a distal section and a longitudinally extending lumen defined by an upper face and a lower face. The lower face has opposing inner peripheral edges. The radius of curvature of the upper face and the lower face decreases from the proximal section to the distal section and the distance between the opposing inner peripheral edges decreases from the proximal section to the distal section.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a photodetector and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a photodetector; and a semiconductor material on the photodetector, the semiconductor material comprising a first dopant type, a second dopant type and intrinsic semiconductor material separating the first dopant type from the second dopant type.