Abstract: Methods and systems for performing in-situ, selective spectral reflectometry (SSR) measurements of semiconductor structures disposed on a wafer are presented herein. Illumination light reflected from a wafer surface is spatially imaged. Signals from selected regions of the image are collected and spectrally analyzed, while other portions of the image are discarded. In some embodiments, a SSR includes a dynamic mirror array (DMA) disposed in the optical path at or near a field plane conjugate to the surface of the semiconductor wafer under measurement. The DMA selectively blocks the undesired portion of wafer image. In other embodiments, a SSR includes a hyperspectral imaging system including a plurality of spectrometers each configured to collect light from a spatially distinct area of a field image conjugate to the wafer surface. Selected spectral signals associated with desired regions of the wafer image are selected for analysis.

Abstract: Brownout management for an audio amplification system. An audio amplification system includes audio volume control circuitry, audio sample interpolation circuitry, and brownout management circuitry. The brownout management circuitry includes brownout detection circuitry and brownout response circuitry. The brownout detection circuitry is configured to determine whether a voltage of a battery that powers the audio amplification system is below a brownout threshold, and to generate a brownout detection signal that indicates the voltage is below the brownout threshold. The brownout response circuitry is coupled to an audio output of the audio sample interpolation circuitry. The brownout response circuitry is configured to attenuate the audio samples output by the audio sample interpolation circuitry responsive to the brownout detection signal indicating that the voltage is below the brownout threshold.

Abstract: Surveillance cameras can be used in many buildings accessible to the public to deter criminal activity and promote public safety. Apparatus and corresponding methods, of the disclosed embodiments of the invention promote installation and use of such surveillance devices through an improved camera mounting module and power supply unit using a solar module having solar cells. An example embodiment of the surveillance devices includes an imaging device, power supply unit employing a solar module having solar cells, and a mounting module coupled to the imaging device, the solar cells being configured with the mounting module to collect light and provide available power to the power supply unit. The disclosed surveillance device, and corresponding process of performing surveillance, minimizes installation and maintenance costs and times associated with surveillance systems.

Abstract: Switch boxes and other such utility boxes must some time be monitored by video. And most of the time, they are behind a door for security and safety reasons In order to image them, the imaging system must then be located very close to them, that is, inside the enclosure. Disclosed herein are systems and corresponding methods for imaging and monitoring utility panel elements arranged on a utility surface. Example embodiments include an optical focusing element to focus rays from utility panel elements and image the elements onto an imaging plane that is non-parallel with a utility surface, and an imaging surface configured to acquire a representation of the image. Example systems and corresponding methods provide for thermal imaging of utility panel elements at close proximity to the elements and within an enclosure. An advantage of these systems and methods is that utility panel elements such as fuses and switches may be imaged even when located within an enclosure and remotely monitored.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying an object determine a display time of a first object, wherein the display time of the first object is determined based on one or more attributes of objects in a collection of objects, generate a display that includes at least part of the first object in a first portion of the display for the display time of the first object, wherein the display is configured for rendering on a display device, and remove the first object from the first portion of the display after the display time of the first object has elapsed.

Abstract: In a method for analyzing social media messages, the method includes one or more processors analyzing social media messages utilizing a set of topics and keywords associated with a brand. The method further includes one or more processors identifying social media messages that include information relating to the brand utilizing the analysis of social media messages utilizing the set of topics and keywords. The method further includes one or more processors determining relevancy scores for the identified social media messages that provide an indication of the percentage likelihood that a social media message is related to the brand. The method further includes one or more processors determining one or more recommendations of social media users associated with social media messages based on the determined relevancy scores.

Abstract: Techniques are discussed for correcting optical aberrations that exist in surveillance domes that have spherical and non-spherical parts. For example, the image quality of a surveillance camera is reduced when it focuses on an object through a non-spherical base of a surveillance dome. This image quality reduction could potentially compromise the security of the area monitored by the surveillance camera by failing to provide enough detail to identify individuals or other objects of interest. Utilizing a corrective optical element to provide curvature to a wavefront that travels through the non-spherical base, however, helps preserve the image quality of the camera and thereby helps maintain the integrity of the surveillance system.

Abstract: Switch boxes and other such utility boxes must some time be monitored by video. And most of the time, they are behind a door for security and safety reasons In order to image them, the imaging system must then be located very close to them, that is, inside the enclosure. Disclosed herein are systems and corresponding methods for imaging and monitoring utility panel elements arranged on a utility surface. Example embodiments include an optical focusing element to focus rays from utility panel elements and image the elements onto an imaging plane that is non-parallel with a utility surface, and an imaging surface configured to acquire a representation of the image. Example systems and corresponding methods provide for thermal imaging of utility panel elements at close proximity to the elements and within an enclosure. An advantage of these systems and methods is that utility panel elements such as fuses and switches may be imaged even when located within an enclosure and remotely monitored.

Abstract: Surveillance cameras can be used in many buildings accessible to the public to deter criminal activity and promote public safety. Apparatus and corresponding methods, of the disclosed embodiments of the invention promote installation and use of such surveillance devices through an improved camera mounting module and power supply unit using a solar module having solar cells. An example embodiment of the surveillance devices includes an imaging device, power supply unit employing a solar module having solar cells, and a mounting module coupled to the imaging device, the solar cells being configured with the mounting module to collect light and provide available power to the power supply unit. The disclosed surveillance device, and corresponding process of performing surveillance, minimizes installation and maintenance costs and times associated with surveillance systems.

Abstract: Technologies pertaining to advertisement impression forecasting are described herein. An advertiser sets forth a proposed bid value for a prospective advertisement listing with respect to a keyword for a defined range of time. A number of auctions for the keyword in which the prospective advertisement listing will participate is estimated. A generative model that models auctions for the keyword is sampled to simulate auctions for the keyword, wherein the number of simulated auctions is equivalent to the number of auctions for the keyword in which the prospective advertisement listing is estimated to participate. For each simulated auction, a determination is made regarding whether the prospective advertisement listing wins the auction based upon the proposed bid value set forth by the advertiser. A number of simulated auctions won by the prospective advertiser is output as a forecasted number of impressions for the advertisement over the defined range of time.

Abstract: An information source alignment system may include a tree generation module executed by a computer system to generate a source category hierarchy tree for a source class in a first information source and a target category hierarchy tree for a target class in a second information source. The source and target category hierarchy trees may be constructed from a class hierarchy of a knowledge source. A class-similarity determination module may compare the source and target category hierarchy trees. An alignment module may determine whether the source and target classes are aligned based on the comparison of the source and target category hierarchy trees.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying an object determine a display time of a first object, wherein the display time of the first object is determined based on one or more attributes of objects in a collection of objects, generate a display that includes at least part of the first object in a first portion of the display for the display time of the first object, wherein the display is configured for rendering on a display device, and remove the first object from the first portion of the display after the display time of the first object has elapsed.

Abstract: An information source alignment system may include a tree generation module executed by a computer system to generate a source category hierarchy tree for a source class in a first information source and a target category hierarchy tree for a target class in a second information source. The source and target category hierarchy trees may be constructed from a class hierarchy of a knowledge source. A class-similarity determination module may compare the source and target category hierarchy trees. An alignment module may determine whether the source and target classes are aligned based on the comparison of the source and target category hierarchy trees.

Abstract: Techniques are discussed for correcting optical aberrations that exist in surveillance domes that have spherical and non-spherical parts. For example, the image quality of a surveillance camera is reduced when it focuses on an object through a non-spherical base of a surveillance dome. This image quality reduction could potentially compromise the security of the area monitored by the surveillance camera by failing to provide enough detail to identify individuals or other objects of interest. Utilizing a corrective optical element to provide curvature to a wavefront that travels through the non-spherical base, however, helps preserve the image quality of the camera and thereby helps maintain the integrity of the surveillance system.

Abstract: In a distributed file system, replicating data to multiple data nodes including first and second data nodes includes monitoring a stream of data in a channel of communication through a tunnel between a client and the first data node. A channel of communication is established via a direct connection to the second data node. In parallel with monitoring of the stream through the tunnel, the data in the stream through the tunnel is replicated to the second data node using the channel of communication via the direct connection to the second data node.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to performing mass transfer of data over plural connections established between a sender and a recipient connected to the sender via a network. Data is sent from the sender to the recipient by divided sending of the data over the plural connections. The optimal number of connections between the sender and the recipient is autotuned by closing an existing connection when a detection is made that a bottleneck to mass transfer of data exists in an I/O storage system of the recipient, and by opening a new connection when the I/O storage system of the recipient is writing data faster than data is received from the network.