Abstract: A circuit module with reliable margin configuration, may include a main circuit, a first auxiliary circuit and a second auxiliary circuit. When the first auxiliary circuit is on, the second auxiliary circuit may be on or off according to whether a control signal is of a first level or a second level. When the first auxiliary circuit and the second auxiliary circuit are both on, the first auxiliary circuit and the second auxiliary circuit may jointly cause an operation parameter of the main circuit to be a first value. When the first auxiliary circuit is on and the second auxiliary circuit is off, the first auxiliary circuit may cause the operation parameter to be a second value. An operation margin of the main circuit may cover a range between the first value and the second value.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device comprises a detection circuit electrically coupled between a first node and a second node. The semiconductor device comprises a discharge circuit electrically coupled between the first node and a third node. The semiconductor device comprises a biasing circuit electrically coupled between the second node and the third node. The discharge circuit and the biasing circuit are configured to electrically conduct the first node and the second node in response to receiving a first signal from the detection circuit through a fourth node. A first voltage difference exists between the third node and the fourth node.

Abstract: A MEMS device and a method for manufacturing a MEMS device are provided. The MEMS device includes an anchor, a diaphragm structure, and a sealing film. The diaphragm structure is disposed over the anchor and has an opening through the diaphragm structure. The sealing film covers at least a portion of the opening of the diaphragm structure.

Abstract: A PoE system includes a plurality of PoE devices and a hub that are coupled in a ring configuration through a plurality of network cables. The hub is coupled to two of the network cables, and provides electric power to at least one of the network cables that is coupled to the hub. Each of the PoE devices is coupled to two of the network cables, receives electric power from one of the two network cables, and supplies electric power to the other one of the two network cables. As a consequence, each of the PoE devices can be directly or indirectly powered by the hub.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of making the same are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes forming a first type epitaxial layer over a second type source/drain feature of a second type transistor, forming a second type epitaxial layer over a first type source/drain feature of a first type transistor, selectively depositing a first metal over the first type epitaxial layer to form a first metal layer while the first metal is substantially not deposited over the second type epitaxial layer over the first type source/drain feature, and depositing a second metal over the first metal layer and the second type epitaxial layer to form a second metal layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes receiving a first bonded to a second substrate by a dielectric layer, wherein a conductive layer is disposed in the dielectric layer and a cavity is formed between the first substrate, the second substrate and the dielectric layer; forming a via opening in the second substrate to expose the conductive layer and a vent hole in the substrate to couple to the cavity; forming a first buffer layer covering sidewalls of the via opening and a second buffer layer covering sidewalls of the vent hole; and forming a connecting structure in the via opening and a sealing structure to seal the vent hole.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer, an electrode, a surface modification layer and a membrane. The dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, and is formed with a cavity that is defined by a cavity-defining wall. The electrode is formed in the dielectric layer. The surface modification layer covers the cavity-defining wall, and has a plurality of hydrophobic end groups. The membrane is connected to the dielectric layer, and seals the cavity. The membrane is movable toward or away from the electrode. A method for making a microelectromechanical system device is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of making the same are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes forming a first type epitaxial layer over a second type source/drain feature of a second type transistor, forming a second type epitaxial layer over a first type source/drain feature of a first type transistor, selectively depositing a first metal over the first type epitaxial layer to form a first metal layer while the first metal is substantially not deposited over the second type epitaxial layer over the first type source/drain feature, and depositing a second metal over the first metal layer and the second type epitaxial layer to form a second metal layer.

Abstract: A PoE system includes a plurality of PoE devices and a hub that are coupled in a ring configuration through a plurality of network cables. The hub is coupled to two of the network cables, and provides electric power to at least one of the network cables that is coupled to the hub. Each of the PoE devices is coupled to two of the network cables, receives electric power from one of the two network cables, and supplies electric power to the other one of the two network cables. As a consequence, each of the PoE devices can be directly or indirectly powered by the hub.

Abstract: An ammonium fluoride gas may be used to form a protection layer for one or more interlayer dielectric layers, one or more insulating caps, and/or one or more source/drain regions of a semiconductor device during a pre-clean etch process. The protection layer can be formed through an oversupply of nitrogen trifluoride during the pre-clean etch process. The oversupply of nitrogen trifluoride causes an increased formation of ammonium fluoride, which coats the interlayer dielectric layer(s), the insulating cap(s), and/or the source/drain region(s) with a thick protection layer. The protection layer protects the interlayer dielectric layer(s), the insulating cap(s), and/or the source/drain region(s) during the pre-clean process from being etched by fluorine ions formed during the pre-clean process.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first substrate; a dielectric layer disposed over the first substrate and a conductive layer disposed in the dielectric layer; a second substrate bonded to the dielectric layer, wherein the second substrate has a first surface facing the first substrate and a second surface opposite to the first substrate; a connecting structure penetrating the second substrate and a portion of the dielectric layer and electrically coupled to the conductive layer; a vent hole penetrating the second substrate from the second surface to the first surface; a first buffer layer between the connecting structure and the dielectric layer and between the connecting structure and the second substrate; and a second buffer layer covering sidewalls of the vent hole and exposed through the first surface of the second substrate. The first buffer layer and the second buffer layer include a same material and a same thickness.

Abstract: A bolt clamping force transducer for a bolt tightening operation is introduced to tighten a bolted joint by driving a torque rotating shaft in a clamping force transducer, such that a helical mechanism at one end of the torque rotating shaft generates an axial force for pressing a force sensing module and thus generates a strain value thereof. A socket is driven by the other end of the torque rotating shaft, thereby generating a clamping force under which the bolted joint of a specific specification is tightened. A parameter relation between the strain value and the clamping force is calibrated with a standard axial force gauge to facilitate calculation and control of the clamping force during the tightening process where the bolted joint fitted to any torque tool is sensed to control the precision of the clamping force being exerted on the bolted joint, thereby enhancing the quality thereof.

Abstract: A device is disclosed herein. The device includes a bias generator, an ESD driver, and a logic circuit. The bias generator includes a first transistor. The ESD driver includes a second transistor and a third transistor coupled to each other in series. The logic circuit is configured to generate a logic control signal. A first terminal of the first transistor is configured to receive a reference voltage signal, a control terminal of the first transistor is configured to receive a detection signal in response to an ESD event being detected, a second terminal of the first transistor is coupled to a control terminal of the third transistor, and a control terminal of the second transistor is configured to receive the logic control signal.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a T-coil circuit, a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), and a signal-loss prevention circuit. The T-coil circuit is coupled to an input/output (I/O) pad and an internal circuit. The SCR is coupled to the T-coil circuit and the internal circuit. The signal-loss prevention circuit is coupled to the T-coil circuit and the SCR. The signal-loss prevention circuit includes a resistor coupled to the T-coil circuit and the SCR. An electrostatic current flows through the resistor and turns on the SCR. The signal-loss prevention circuit may also include a diode circuit coupled to the T-coil circuit and the SCR. The diode circuit is configured to prevent signal loss.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a manufacturing method of a titanium dioxide solution and a titanium dioxide film. The manufacturing method of the titanium dioxide solution includes: mixing choline chloride, urea, boric acid, and titanium tetrachloride to form a first solution, wherein a molar concentration ratio of choline chloride to urea is 1:2, a molar concentration of titanium tetrachloride is 0.2 M to 0.4 M, and weight/volume of boric acid is 5 g/300 ml to 15 g/300 ml; and heating the first solution to form a second solution, wherein the second solution contains carbon/nitrogen doped titanium dioxide. In the manufacturing method of the present disclosure, the deep eutectic solution formed by choline chloride and urea may be used as a solvent, and may also be used as a carbon source and/or a nitrogen source. Therefore, titanium dioxide may be doped with carbon and/or nitrogen during the formation process.

Abstract: A teammate recommendation method for a multiplayer online game is proposed. The teammate recommendation method includes the steps of: determining one or more characteristic values for each of a plurality of players based on past game performance information of the players; dividing the players into a plurality of groups based on the characteristic values of the players; determining a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for each of a plurality of combinations of the groups based on teammate information and team ranking of each game in the past game performance information; selecting one of the combinations, which includes a first group that the first player belongs to, based on the KPIs of the combinations; and recommending one or more second players based on the selected combination.

Abstract: A device and a method for post-processing of computed tomography (CT), which are adapted to improve an identification image of a focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of a liver, are provided. The method includes: obtaining the identification image including a liver region and a non-liver region and a Hounsfield unit (HU) value of each pixel corresponding the identification image, wherein the liver region includes an FNH candidate region; calculating an average HU of the liver region; adjusting an HU value of the non-liver region to the average HU value of the liver region with respect to the identification image to generate a processed identification image; and updating the FNH candidate region according to a morphological algorithm based on the processed identification image to generate an updated FNH candidate region.

Abstract: During operation, the system receives a customer request. Next, the system segments the customer request into customer request sentences. The system then encodes each sentence from the customer request with information sequentially collected from the previously observed sentences. Next, the system translates the encodings to sparse probabilities that measure the importance of sentences from the customer request. The system then extracts relevant sentences from the customer request based on the importance. Next, the system forms an extracted-sentence customer request embedding from embeddings for the extracted relevant customer request sentences. The system then uses the extracted-sentence customer request embedding to select an agent response from a set of possible agent responses based on comparisons between the extracted-sentence customer request embedding and embeddings for the set of possible agent responses.

Abstract: A bolt clamping force sensing washer includes a sensing washer, connection line assembly, and signal processor. The sensing washer includes a body, sensing component, and bushing. The body has an axial hole that matches outer diameter of a bolt's thread. The circumferential surface of the body has a circumferential groove for receiving the sensing component which measures a deformation signal generated by the body under an axial load. Two end surfaces of the body are perpendicular to the axial hole and each have a loosening-proof structure. The bushing is made of metal or plastic or formed by plastic insulating material casting to enclose the sensing component. The signal processor has a signal amplifier, microprocessor, pairing switch, power circuit unit, signal transmission unit, memory unit, RF antenna and alert unit. The connection line assembly is disposed at the bushing to electrically connect the sensing component and signal processor.

Abstract: An English pronunciation assessment method includes: receiving an audio file including an English speech and a text transcript corresponding to the English speech; inputting audio signal to one or more acoustic models to obtain phonetic information of each phone in each word, wherein the one or more acoustic models are trained with speeches spoken by native speakers and further with speeches spoken by non-native speakers without labeling out mispronunciations, such that a pronunciation error is detected more accurately based on the obtained phonetic information; extracting time series features of each word; inputting the extracted time series features of each word, the obtained phonetic information of each phone in each word, and the audio signal included in the audio file to a lexical stress model to obtain misplaced lexical stress in each of words in the English speech with different number of syllables without expanding short words to cause input approximation.