Abstract: An electrode controls transmittance of a blocking layer over a photodiode of a pixel sensor (e.g., a photodiode of a small pixel detector) by changing oxidation of a metal material included in the blocking layer. By using the electrode to adjust transmittance of the blocking layer, pixel sensors for different uses and/or products may be produced using a single manufacturing process. As a result, power and processing resources are conserved that otherwise would have been expended in switching manufacturing processes. Additionally, production time is decreased (e.g., by eliminating downtime that would otherwise have been used to reconfigure fabrication machines.

Abstract: A virtual machine backup method, performed by a first host, includes: capturing a request to write data from a virtual machine to a hard disk image file, wherein the request includes written data and input and output location information, copying the written data to a temporary storage area, calculating a first key of the written data, storing the first key, the input and output location information into a first resource location structure, pausing an operation of the virtual machine and generating a second resource location structure according to the first resource location structure, the first key and a second key, and outputting a backup data set to a second host according to the second resource location structure, wherein the backup data set includes the second resource location structure and only one of existing data and the written data when the first key and the second key are the same.

Abstract: A surface emitting laser apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The surface emitting laser apparatus includes a first reflector layer, an active light-emitting layer, a second reflector layer, and a current confinement structure. The active light-emitting layer is disposed between the first reflector layer and the second reflector layer, so as to produce a laser beam. The current confinement structure has one P-N junction or one PIN junction.

Abstract: A surface emitting laser apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The surface emitting laser apparatus includes a first reflector layer, an active light-emitting layer, a second reflector layer, and a current confinement layer. The active light-emitting layer is disposed between the first reflector layer and the second reflector layer, so as to produce a laser beam. The current confinement layer is disposed above or below the active light-emitting layer. The current confinement layer is a semiconductor layer, and an energy gap width of the current confinement layer is greater than an energy gap width of the active light-emitting layer.

Abstract: A trust rule between a first service and a second service in a plurality of services deployed in a distributed system is received; the trust rule defines whether the first service is allowed to access the second service. A trust tree is obtained for the distributed system, and the trust tree comprises a plurality of certificates for accessing the plurality of services. A first group of certificates is selected for the first service based on the trust rule and the trust tree, and the first group of certificates enables the first service to access the second service.

Abstract: An assistive device structure for positioning and pressure relief is provided, including a first elastic layer and a second elastic layer, which are attached by using a high-frequency encapsulation process, sealing, bagging, thermoforming, or an integrally molding process. Each of the first and second elastic layers has a bottom surface and an arc surface disposed opposite to each other. The arc surface includes two protrusions and a recess formed there in between. The two protrusions have different heights. A hollow area is disposed in the recess of the first and second elastic layers. Based on such structure, the bottom surfaces of the first and second elastic layers are attached to form the proposed assistive device structure for a user to lean against and providing multiple positioning effects and pressure relief. More than four axial directions of supporting forces are generated to effectively enhance muscle relaxation and stress relief.

Abstract: Provided are structures and methods for forming structures with sloping surfaces of a desired profile. An exemplary method includes performing a first etch process to differentially etch a gate material to a recessed surface, wherein the recessed surface includes a first horn at a first edge, a second horn at a second edge, and a valley located between the first horn and the second horn; depositing an etch-retarding layer over the recessed surface, wherein the etch-retarding layer has a central region over the valley and has edge regions over the horns, and wherein the central region of the etch-retarding layer is thicker than the edge regions of the etch-retarding layer; and performing a second etch process to recess the horns to establish the gate material with a desired profile.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adaptive active noise cancellation apparatus and an audio playback system using the same. The adaptive active noise cancellation apparatus shapes an error signal and a noise signal according to a shape of an ideal noise. After that, the shaped noise signal and the shaped error signal are sent into a parameter adjusting unit to perform an adaptive parameter adjustment. Thus, the adaptive noise filter unit is not only can adaptively suppress noise and minimize the error signal, but also can suppress specific frequencies that are sensitive to the human ear.

Abstract: A normally closed disc clamp system includes a housing with a rotating disc, a brake ring and a pressure-enhancing ring arranged therein. When only a first chamber is supplied with fluid, the fluid pushes the brake ring to release the rotating disc. When only a second chamber is fed with fluid, the fluid pushes the brake ring to keep the rotating disc in the braking state, and pushes the pressure-enhancing ring to compress an elastic unit. The energy generated by the compression of the elastic unit acts on the brake ring through the fluid, so that the brake ring achieves a double pressurization effect. If the action of the fluid fails, the brake ring can still provide a braking effect to the rotating disc through the elastic unit to improve operational safety. Further, the present invention further provides a rotating table using the normally closed disc clamp system.

Abstract: A data dictionary generation system automatically populates and updates a data dictionary for listings offering shared data. A data dictionary includes metadata describing the shared data, including the individual objects, such as the individual tables, schemas, views, and functions. The shared data and each individual data object may be described in the data dictionary by a set of data fields that corresponds to the shared dataset or the object type of the individual object. The data dictionary can be presented to data consumers along with the description of the listing to provide data consumers with a comprehensive description of the shared data provided by a listing, including a high-level summary of the shared data and description of each individual object included in the shared data. The data dictionary allows data consumers to understand the contents of the shared data and how to use the shared data.

Abstract: An active noise control (ANC) circuit is used for generating an anti-noise signal, and has a plurality of filters including at least one first filter and at least one second filter. The at least one first filter generates at least one first filter output, wherein each of the at least one first filter has at least one non-static filter and at least one static filter connected in a series fashion. The at least one second filter generates at least one second filter output, wherein each of the at least one second filter has at least one adaptive filter. The anti-noise signal is jointly controlled by the at least one first filter output and the at least one second filter output. The at least one first filter and the at least one second filter are connected in a parallel fashion.

Abstract: Methods of cutting gate structures and fins, and structures formed thereby, are described. In an embodiment, a substrate includes first and second fins and an isolation region. The first and second fins extend longitudinally parallel, with the isolation region disposed therebetween. A gate structure includes a conformal gate dielectric over the first fin and a gate electrode over the conformal gate dielectric. A first insulating fill structure abuts the gate structure and extends vertically from a level of an upper surface of the gate structure to at least a surface of the isolation region. No portion of the conformal gate dielectric extends vertically between the first insulating fill structure and the gate electrode. A second insulating fill structure abuts the first insulating fill structure and an end sidewall of the second fin. The first insulating fill structure is disposed laterally between the gate structure and the second insulating fill structure.

Abstract: An electrode controls transmittance of a blocking layer over a photodiode of a pixel sensor (e.g., a photodiode of a small pixel detector) by changing oxidation of a metal material included in the blocking layer. By using the electrode to adjust transmittance of the blocking layer, pixel sensors for different uses and/or products may be produced using a single manufacturing process. As a result, power and processing resources are conserved that otherwise would have been expended in switching manufacturing processes. Additionally, production time is decreased (e.g., by eliminating downtime that would otherwise have been used to reconfigure fabrication machines.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for extracting lithium from carbonate clay type lithium ore based on ion exchange, which belongs to the field of lithium extraction technologies. This method aims to, with iron salt as the extractant, extract lithium into the solution through exchange reaction with lithium ore, which mainly involves the following steps: have clay type lithium ores crushed and ground prior to high-temperature roasting activation, and then conduct iron exchange reaction by iron salt solution while heating, followed by solid-liquid separation by means of filtration. The filtrate obtained will be lithium-bearing solution, and the extraction rate of lithium can reach as high as over 90%.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a limit device and a robot using the same. The limit device comprises a first connecting member, a transmission rod and a second connecting member. The first connecting member comprising a first main body portion and two first connecting elements. The two first connecting elements are arranged at intervals. The two first connecting elements are respectively connected to the first main body. The transmission rod comprising a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end are arranged at intervals. The first end penetrates through one of the two first connecting elements. The second end penetrates through the other one of the two first connecting element. The second connecting member provided with two indexing buckles. The two indexing buckles are arranged at intervals, each of the indexing buckles comprises a first limiting groove and a second limiting groove.

Abstract: An adaptive active noise control (ANC) system includes an ANC circuit and a control circuit. The ANC circuit generates an anti-noise signal for noise reduction, wherein the ANC circuit includes at least one adaptive filter. The control circuit receives a first input signal derived from a reference signal output by a reference microphone that picks up ambient noise, receives a second input signal derived from an error signal output by an error microphone that picks up remnant noise resulting from the noise reduction, and performs a transfer function variation detection based on the first input signal and the second input signal to control the at least one adaptive filter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor fabrication method. The method includes forming a gate stack in an area previously occupied by a dummy gate structure; forming a first metal cap layer over the gate stack; forming a first dielectric cap layer over the first metal cap layer; selectively removing a portion of the gate stack and the first metal cap layer while leaving a sidewall portion of the first metal cap layer that extends along a sidewall of the first dielectric cap layer; forming a second metal cap layer over the gate stack and the first metal cap layer wherein a sidewall portion of the second metal cap layer extends further along a sidewall of the first dielectric cap layer; forming a second dielectric cap layer over the second metal cap layer; and flattening a top layer of the first dielectric cap layer and the second dielectric cap layer using planarization operations.

Abstract: The embodiments of the disclosure disclose methods, a system, apparatuses, and an electronic device for information referencing. A specific embodiment of the method includes: in response to creating a target formula, determining parameters of the target formula; generating an identification token of the target formula with a first target information, wherein the first target information includes a user identification of a target user, an identification of the referencing document, the identification of the referenced document and the identification of the referenced region, and the target user is a user creating the target formula; receiving a first verification result returned based on a second target information, wherein the second target information comprises the identification token and the first target information; and performing information presentation in the referencing document based on the first verification result.

Abstract: Provided is a motor braking device for a N-phase brushless motor. The motor braking device includes a switching circuit adapted to connect the N-phase brushless motor to a power supply, the switching circuit comprising a high side switch group and a low side switch group, each of the high side switch group and the low side switch group comprising N switching elements, and a control unit configured to control the switching circuit to brake the motor based on occurrence of a first event, the first event chosen from a group consisting of release of a trigger by a user, and occurrence of a predetermined condition as detected by a sensor. The control unit is configured to, upon occurrence of the first event, switch all the switching elements of one of the high side switch group or the low side switch group to an on-state, and simultaneously switch all the switching elements of the other one of the high side switch group and the lower side switch group to an off-state.

Abstract: A scalable multi-phase switching converter includes: converter modules, each including: a loop control unit, which generates a basic trigger pulse according to a feedback signal in master operation mode; and a switching control unit, which determines an operation mode and a corresponding phase serial order according to a setting signal received by a setting pin in a setting mode, and generates a multi-phase trigger pulse signal at a trigger pin according to the basic trigger pulse in master operation mode. The switching control unit receives the multi-phase trigger pulse signal at the trigger pin in slave operation mode. The switching control unit generates an ON-trigger pulse according to the multi-phase trigger pulse signal and the corresponding phase serial order. An ON-period determination unit generates a conduction control pulse according to the ON-trigger pulse to control a corresponding inductor. The trigger pins of the converter modules are coupled to each other.