Abstract: Provided are a phase-change memory device using insulating nanoparticles, a flexible phase-change memory device and a method for manufacturing the same. The phase-change memory device includes an electrode, and a phase-change layer in which a phase change occurs depending on heat generated from the electrode, wherein insulating nanoparticles formed from a self-assembled block copolymer are provided between the electrode and the phase-change layer undergoing crystallization and amorphization.

Abstract: A memory system, comprising a flash memory comprising multiple memory blocks, and a controller configured to erase each of the memory blocks using multiple steps. The controller stores, for each of the memory blocks, metadata indicating which of the multiple steps have been completed, and erases each of the memory blocks based on the stored metadata.

Abstract: There are provided a flexible nanocomposite generator and a method of manufacturing the same. A flexible nanocomposite generator according to the present invention includes a piezoelectric layer formed of a flexible matrix containing piezoelectric nanoparticles and carbon nanostructures; and electrode layers disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of both sides of the piezoelectric layer, in which according to a method for manufacturing a flexible nanocomposite generator according to the present invention and a flexible nanogenerator, it is possible to manufacture a flexible nanogenerator with a large area and a small thickness. Therefore, the nanogenerator may be used as a portion of a fiber or cloth. Accordingly, the nanogenerator according to the present invention generates power in accordance with bending of attached cloth, such that it is possible to continuously generate power in accordance with movement of a human body.

Abstract: A memory system includes a flash memory including a block having first sub-blocks and second sub-blocks different from each other, the second sub-blocks including free pages only; and a controller configured to erase the flash memory in units of the sub-blocks, and in a garbage collection operation, the controller is configured to copy data of a valid page of the first sub-blocks to at least one of the second sub-blocks.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a dust collector which includes a first dust separator and a dust container in which a first dust storage unit is formed. A cover is coupled to the dust separating unit and is used to selectively open or close the dust storage unit. The cover is detached from the dust container together with the dust separating unit when the dust container is emptied. The vacuum cleaner may further include a second dust separator on the main body of the vacuum cleaner. In this instance, a second dust storage unit may be formed in the dust collector, and dust separated in the second dust separator may be stored in the second dust storage unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gate driver having a function of preventing shoot-through current. The gate driver having a function of preventing shoot-through current includes: a first power switch sourcing current according to voltage applied by a voltage source; a second power switch connected with the first power switch in series and sinking current according to voltage applied by the voltage source; and a shoot-through current preventing circuit preventing the occurrence of shoot-through current in first and second power switches at the time of driving of the first and second power switches. According to the present invention, the shoot-through current preventing circuit configured of the plurality of PMOSs and NMOSs can prevent the shoot-through current from occurring in the power transistor of the output terminal at the time of the driving of the gate driver, thereby preventing the unnecessary power consumption and the occurrence of ground noise.

Abstract: There is provided a light emitting diode (LED) driving apparatus configured such that a waveform of current input to an LED follows a sine wave, the LED driving apparatus including, a switching unit switching an LED unit having a plurality of LEDs receiving rectified power and emitting light, a driving control unit controlling the switching of the switching unit according to a voltage level of the rectified power, a current limiting unit limiting current flowing in the LED unit, and an adjusting unit adjusting current limitation of the current limiting unit according to the voltage level of the rectified power.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gate driver. The gate driver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a first power switch sourcing current according to voltage applied by a voltage source; a second power switch connected with the first power switch in series and sinking current according to the voltage applied by the voltage source; and a speed booster receiving a voltage pulse from the outside to output peak current so as to make a turn on/off operation of the first power switch fast. As set forth above, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to improve the driving speed of the gate driver without increasing the current of the current source by further including the speed booster configured of the plurality of MOSFETs and the capacitor.

Abstract: There is provided a light emitting diode driving device capable of preventing a number of switches from being turned on simultaneously when a plurality of light emitting diodes are respectively driven using a plurality of switches, the light emitting diode driving device, including: a light emitting diode unit having a plurality of light emitting diodes connected to one another in series and emitting light through receiving rectified power; and a driving unit having a plurality of drivers driving the plurality of light emitting diodes of the light emitting diode unit, respectively, wherein each of the plurality of drivers selects a maximum voltage from among a plurality of detection voltages with respect to current flowing in at least one light emitting diode corresponding thereto and compares the maximum voltage with a preset reference voltage to thereby drive the corresponding light emitting diode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an average current controller, an average current control method and a buck converter using the average current controller. The average current controller includes a first comparator for generating a high H signal, a multivibrator for generating a TAVG pulse signal by receiving a high H signal outputted from the first comparator, a timing generator for generating a signal CH_ON to charge/discharge a capacitor by using at least the TAVG pulse signal, an integrator circuit unit for charging/discharging the capacitor, a second comparator for outputting a corresponding signal, an up/down counter for increasing or decreasing a counting value and a digital/analog converter for outputting by converting an output (digital signal) of the up/down counter into an analog signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, the device including a substrate having a transistor formed thereon; a plurality of lower electrodes formed on the substrate; a first supporter and a second supporter on the plurality of lower electrodes; a dielectric film formed on the lower electrode, the first supporter, and the second supporter; and an upper electrode formed on the dielectric film, wherein the first and second supporters are positioned between the lower electrodes, and the first and second supporters include a first material and a second material.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a self-power consumption includes an information receiving unit configured to receive a power supply and demand situation and power price information through a wire/wireless communication network. The apparatus includes a self-power consumption control unit configured to compare the power supply and demand situation with a predetermined power situation and produce a control signal to control a plurality of appliances when it is determined that the power supply and demand situation is put in a state of emergency, or the power price exceeds a predetermined threshold. The apparatus includes a standby power status control unit configured to select one or more appliances of the appliances in response to the control signal and switch the selected appliances into a standby power state.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided. The vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body, in which a dust collector mount part is formed, a dust collector that is removably mounted on the dust collector mount part, at least one compressing member that reduces a volume of dust stored in a dust storage part of the dust collector, a power transfer device that transfers a driving force to the at least one compressing member from outside connected with the at least one compressing member, and a controller that decides an amount of dust stored in the dust storage part.

Abstract: Methods include sequentially forming a first mold film, a first support film, a second mold film, and a second support film on a substrate, forming a contact hole through the second support film, the second mold film, the first support film and the first mold film, forming an electrode in the contact hole, and removing portions of the second support film, the second mold film and the first mold film to leave a portion of the first support film as a first support pattern surrounding the electrode and to leave a portion of the second support film as a second support pattern surrounding the electrode.

Abstract: A method for provisioning home energy management services includes supplying a service user with a list of home energy management services; and transmitting a request to subscribe to a service to a home energy management service provider server on a communication network. Further, the method includes performing an authentication with the home energy management service provider server and receiving a secret key for encryption and decryption of a message that is transmitted and received for the service; searching for home energy devices on a home network and transmitting a list of searched home energy devices to the home energy management service provider server; and sending the message received from the home energy management service provider server to the same home energy devices.

Abstract: A swelling tape for filling a gap, a method of manufacturing the swelling tape for filling a gap, a method of filling a gap, an electrode assembly and a secondary battery are provided. For example, the swelling tape can be applied inside a gap in which a fluid exists so as to fill the gap by becoming a 3D form, and can be useful at anchoring a subject in which the gap is formed, as necessary.

Abstract: An average current controller configured for connection to display-components through a power switch. The average current controller includes first, second, and third comparators, an integrator, and a reference current generator. The first comparator compares a peak current level of reference current with a load current level of load current and outputs a first comparison result. The load current denotes current flowing through the display-components. The second comparator compares the peak current level of reference current with an average current level of the load current and outputs a second comparison result. The integrator integrates the second comparison result. The third comparator compares the integral value of the integrator with a predetermined value and outputs a third comparison result. The reference current generator sets the peak current level based on the first comparison result and the third comparison result and generates the reference current with the set peak current level.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for driving a light emitting diode (LED), capable of distributing current stress applied to the LED. The apparatus includes an LED part including a plurality of LED units respectively including at least one LED, the plurality of LED units being connected in parallel to a power input terminal to which rectified power in sine wave form is supplied, and, among the plurality of LED units connected in parallel, a termination end of the LED unit in a front end being connected to a middle of an adjacent LED unit; and a current source unit including a plurality of current sources respectively connected to termination ends of the plurality of LED units and allowing corresponding current to flow through the plurality of LED units.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a comparison voltage generation unit configured to generate a plurality of different comparison voltages, a reference voltage generation unit configured to receive a generation code from an external system, select one of the plurality of the different comparison voltages according to the generation code, and generate a reference voltage, and a reference voltage determination unit configured to receive the generation code and an expected reference voltage from the external system, check whether a level of the expected reference voltage is in a target range, and output a check result to the external system.

Abstract: A method for making a metal oxide material and catalyzing the oxidative coupling of methane, including mixing a metal cation-containing oxidizer portion and a reducing fuel portion with water to define an aqueous solution, evaporatively removing water from the aqueous solution to yield a concentrated liquid, burning the concentrated liquid yield an homogeneous metal oxide powder, flowing methane from a first source and oxygen from a second source over the homogeneous metal oxide powder, and catalyzing an oxidative coupling of methane reaction with the homogeneous metal oxide powder. The homogeneous metal oxide powder contains metal oxides selected from the group including LaSrAlO4, LaAlO3, Sr3Al2O6, Na2WO4—Mn/SiO2, and combinations thereof.