Abstract: A dirt collector that includes a housing and an air-permeable filter media extending from the housing such that the filter media and housing at least partially define a collection volume.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner that includes a suction source configured to generate a suction airflow, a dirt collector in fluid communication with the suction source and configured to separate debris from the suction airflow and the dirt collector is configured to store the debris separated from the suction airflow. The vacuum further includes an infrared sensor operable to output a signal corresponding to a distance to an amount of debris stored in the dirt collector, a controller that receives the signal, and the controller is operable to determine a fill level stored in the dirt collector based on the signal. A visual display displays the fill level stored in the dirt collector.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for acquiring users. In one example, the method includes providing a rebate offer with respect to a product, receiving, by an application server via the Internet, a request for payment of the rebate and proof of purchase of the product associated with the rebate via a mobile application executing on a mobile device, determining, by the application server, whether the mobile application executing on the mobile device corresponds to a new user of the mobile application, and in response to determining that the mobile application executing on the mobile device corresponds to a new user of the mobile application, authorizing payment of the rebate to a payment account previously registered through the mobile application executing on the mobile device.

Abstract: Provided are methods and devices for providing a resource. In one example, a method includes receiving a request to render a resource, the request comprising item information associated with an item, extracting an item identifier from the item information, and determining, by the web server, whether the user device corresponds to an existing user of a mobile application corresponding to the request. In response to determining the user device corresponds to an existing user of the mobile application, the method may include determining a customized URI associated with the item and associated with the mobile application based on the extracted item identifier and transmitting the customized URI. In response to determining the user device does not correspond to an existing user of the mobile application, the method may include transmitting a URL of a web page associated with the mobile application to the user device.

Abstract: Provided are systems, devices, and methods for routing events. In one example, an application server includes a network interface to receive demographic information and a request from a mobile application executing on a mobile device, and a processor configured to identify an item that corresponds to the request, identify a web server that corresponds to the item, generate an event based on the request, and determine whether the event corresponds to the application server or the web server based on a combination of the item and the received demographic information. The processor may further process the event or control the network interface to transmit the event to the web server, based on determining whether the event corresponds to the application server or the web server.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a scanned image of a paper purchase receipt. The receipt may have been submitted by a customer. A product indication is extracted from a line item in the receipt. A database of product purchase history data is accessed. The product purchase history data may be maintained for the customer. The accessing of the product history data is for retrieving past product purchase data for the customer. The retrieved past product purchase data may be used to identify a product indicated by the extracted product indication.

Abstract: Methods of forming metal carbide films are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate is exposed to alternating pulses of a transition metal species and an aluminum hydrocarbon compound, such as TMA, DMAH, or TEA. The aluminum hydrocarbon compound is selected to achieve the desired properties of the metal carbide film, such as aluminum concentration, resistivity, adhesion and oxidation resistance. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form a metal carbide layer that determines the work function of a control gate in a flash memory.

Abstract: Methods of forming a conductive metal layer over a dielectric layer using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) are provided, along with related compositions and structures. A plasma barrier layer is deposited over the dielectric layer by a non-plasma atomic layer deposition (ALD) process prior to depositing the conductive layer by PEALD. The plasma barrier layer reduces or prevents deleterious effects of the plasma reactant in the PEALD process on the dielectric layer and can enhance adhesion. The same metal reactant can be used in both the non-plasma ALD process and the PEALD process.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an indication that a user is requesting a price comparison with respect to a product available for sale in a retail store aisle. The indication may be received at a time when the user is present in the aisle. The method further includes determining a competitive item that shares a product characteristic with the product available for sale in the aisle. In addition, the method includes transmitting an offer to the user to induce the user to purchase the competitive item.

Abstract: In a health promotion system, a receipt relating to a purchase of food is received. The contents of the receipt are compared with wellness incentive and/or disincentive data. A user's incentive account is updated based on a result of the comparison of the receipt with the incentive/disincentive data.

Abstract: A proof-of-performance verification system may include a receipt processing facility that receives a receipt image, wherein the receipt processing facility optionally enhances the receipt, converts the receipt image to text, and matches the text to a product or service description in accordance with a terminology database, a proof processor that electronically matches a user-selected reward offer against the product or service description to facilitate offer redemption, and at least one of a payment facility that distributes the offer redemption funds and a rewards facility that communicates incentive rewards to a central location. Related user interfaces, applications, and computer program products are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of forming metal carbide films are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate is exposed to alternating pulses of a transition metal species and an aluminum hydrocarbon compound, such as TMA, DMAH, or TEA. The aluminum hydrocarbon compound is selected to achieve the desired properties of the metal carbide film, such as aluminum concentration, resistivity, adhesion and oxidation resistance. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form a metal carbide layer that determines the work function of a control gate in a flash memory.

Abstract: Methods of forming a conductive metal layer over a dielectric layer using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) are provided, along with related compositions and structures. A plasma barrier layer is deposited over the dielectric layer by a non-plasma atomic layer deposition (ALD) process prior to depositing the conductive layer by PEALD. The plasma barrier layer reduces or prevents deleterious effects of the plasma reactant in the PEALD process on the dielectric layer and can enhance adhesion. The same metal reactant can be used in both the non-plasma ALD process and the PEALD process.

Abstract: Methods of forming a conductive metal layer over a dielectric layer using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) are provided, along with related compositions and structures. A plasma barrier layer is deposited over the dielectric layer by a non-plasma atomic layer deposition (ALD) process prior to depositing the conductive layer by PEALD. The plasma barrier layer reduces or prevents deleterious effects of the plasma reactant in the PEALD process on the dielectric layer and can enhance adhesion. The same metal reactant can be used in both the non-plasma ALD process and the PEALD process.

Abstract: Methods of forming metal oxide thin films and related structures are provided. One embodiment of the methods includes conducting a plurality of cycles of deposition on a substrate. Each cycle includes supplying oxygen gas and an inert gas into a reaction space substantially continuously during the cycle. A metal precursor is supplied into the reaction space for a first duration. The metal precursor is a cyclopentadienyl compound of the metal. After the metal precursor is supplied, the continuously flowing oxygen gas is activated for a second duration to generate a plasma in the reaction space. The cycle is conducted at a temperature below about 400° C. The methods can be performed after forming a structure on the substrate, wherein the structure is formed of a material which is physically and/or chemically unstable at a high temperature.

Abstract: In one aspect, non-conformal layers are formed by variations of plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, where one or more of pulse duration, separation, RF power on-time, reactant concentration, pressure and electrode spacing are varied from true self-saturating reactions to operate in a depletion-effect mode. Deposition thus takes place close to the substrate surface but is controlled to terminate after reaching a specified distance into openings (e.g., deep DRAM trenches, pores, etc.). Reactor configurations that are suited to such modulation include showerhead, in situ plasma reactors, particularly with adjustable electrode spacing.

Abstract: Methods of forming a metal carbide film are provided. In some embodiments, methods for forming a metal carbide film in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) type process comprise alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate in a reaction space with vapor phase pulses of a metal compound and one or more plasma-excited species of a carbon-containing compound. In other embodiments, methods of forming a metal carbide film in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) type process comprise simultaneously contacting a substrate in a reaction space with a metal compound and one or more plasma-excited species of a carbon-containing compound. The substrate is further exposed to a reducing agent. The reducing agent removes impurities, including halogen atoms and/or oxygen atoms.

Abstract: Methods and equipment for forming ternary metal alloys are provided. In some embodiments, TaCN thin films are deposited by exposing a substrate to alternating pulses of an organometallic tantalum precursor comprising nitrogen and carbon and hydrogen plasma. The stoichiometry of the film is tuned from carbon rich to nitrogen rich by adjusting the plasma parameters, particularly the plasma power and duration. In this way, films with varied characteristics can be formed from the same precursor. For example, both n-type and p-type materials can be deposited in the same module using the same precursor.

Abstract: A proof-of-performance verification system may include a receipt processing facility that receives a receipt image, wherein the receipt processing facility optionally enhances the receipt, converts the receipt image to text, and matches the text to a product or service description in accordance with a terminology database, a proof processor that electronically matches a user-selected reward offer against the product or service description to facilitate offer redemption, and at least one of a payment facility that distributes the offer redemption funds and a rewards facility that communicates incentive rewards to a central location. Related user interfaces, applications, and computer program products are disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic transcript generation and transfer system is described. It contains functionality for facilitating transactions between requestors and reporters by receiving a request for a transcript quote from a requestor and providing the request to a reporter. The system provides the reporter an interface to associate a number of pages with the request and based on various factors, generates a communication with the requestor containing the quote. The system then facilitates the requestor's payment for the transcript and provides the reporter a work request with specific details about the transcript request. Finally, upon receipt of the transcript sent notification from the reporter, the system transfers the requestor's payment to the reporter and transmits a communication to the requestor containing tracking information and other details of the completed transcript request.