Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a mesh network of beverage robots with one or more core vending locations are disclosed herein. For example, the method can include receiving an order for a beverage to be prepared by one or more beverage robots in a first vending location, wherein the beverage is associated with a recipe that is specific to a second vending location. Once received, the method can include retrieving the recipe for the beverage to allow the beverage robot(s) to prepare the beverage according to customer expectations at the second vending location and scheduling the beverage to be prepared by one of the beverage robot(s) in the first vending location. In some embodiments, the method includes scheduling the beverage to be prepared close to a planned and/or estimated pick-up time for the order.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for beverage preparation in portions. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a beverage system including: a fluid feeder configured to discharge a fluid; an ingredient feeder configured to discharge one or more ingredients; a mixing chamber having a dispensing opening, the mixing chamber configured to receive the fluid and the one or more ingredients; a dispenser configured to control dispensing from the mixing chamber via the dispensing opening; and a controller or control circuit programmed to perform operations including: receiving from a user a selection for a beverage; and producing the beverage automatically in portions. Different portions of the beverage may include different target ingredients.

Abstract: Beverage systems, devices, and methods with cleaning features. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a beverage system including: a fluid feeder configured to discharge a fluid; a mixing chamber having a dispensing opening, the mixing chamber configured to receive the fluid; a dispenser configured to control dispensing from the mixing chamber via the dispensing opening; and a controller or control circuit programmed to perform operations including: receiving an instruction for a cleaning process; and causing the cleaning process to be performed. In some embodiments, the beverage system may further include a cleaning solution feeder configured to discharge one or more cleaning solutions for cleaning at least a portion of the system.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for beverage preparation in portions. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a beverage system including: a fluid feeder configured to discharge a fluid; an ingredient feeder configured to discharge one or more ingredients; a mixing chamber having a dispensing opening, the mixing chamber configured to receive the fluid and the one or more ingredients; a dispenser configured to control dispensing from the mixing chamber via the dispensing opening; and a controller or control circuit programmed to perform operations including: receiving from a user a selection for a beverage; and producing the beverage automatically in portions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a valve mechanism and an operating method of the same configured for optionally sealing or opening a first opening port on a cavity. The valve mechanism comprises a displacement element, a carrier plate, a sealing disc and a guide element. The displacement element drives the sealing disc to reciprocate via the carrier plate, and the guide element correspondingly guides an orientation of a sealing surface of the sealing disc according to an orientation of a sealing surface of the first opening port on the cavity when the sealing disc reciprocates, so that the sealing surface of the sealing disc is parallel to the sealing surface of the first opening port on the cavity, thereby symmetrically applying force to seal the first opening port on the cavity.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for beverage preparation. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a beverage system including: a fluid feeder configured to discharge a fluid; an ingredient feeder configured to discharge one or more ingredients; a mixing chamber having a dispensing opening, the mixing chamber configured to receive the fluid and the one or more ingredients; a mixer configured to mix the fluid and the one or more ingredients in the mixing chamber; a dispenser configured to control dispensing from the mixing chamber via the dispensing opening; and a controller or control circuit programmed to perform operations including: receiving from a user a selection for a beverage; and producing the beverage automatically.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for decorating cups are described herein. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a cup decoration system including an ingredient container and a cup decorating device. The cup decoration device can include a nozzle, a pump, a motor, and a controller. The nozzle can be coupled to receive ingredients, include an outlet, and be configured to be positioned adjacent to or partially inside a cup to be decorated. The pump can be coupled to drive the ingredients through the outlet of the nozzle. The motor can be coupled to rotate the nozzle relative to the cup. The controller can be operably coupled to the pump and the motor, and be configured to operate the pump and the motor such that the nozzle dispenses the ingredients onto an inner surface of the cup via the outlet to create a layer having a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: Ingredient blending devices and associated methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an ingredient blending device includes a cup holder assembly, a straw displacement assembly, a gas pumping assembly, and a controller. The controller can be configured to (i) operate the straw displacement assembly to position a straw such that a proximal end of the straw is adjacent the gas pumping assembly and a distal end of the straw is at least partially inside a cup, (ii) operate the cup holder assembly to move the cup relative to the straw, (iii) operate the gas pumping assembly to pump the gas into the proximal end of the straw such that the gas exits at the distal end of the straw and into ingredients in the cup, thereby blending the ingredients, and (iv) operate the straw displacement assembly to dispense the straw into the cup.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for predicting a progression trajectory from acute kidney injury (AKI) to a kidney disease. The method includes the following steps: receiving a first set of features of a particular acute kidney injury (AKI) patient; selecting a second set of features from the first set of features using a preset algorithm; and predicting, using a first machine-learning model, a progression trajectory of a kidney disease of the particular AKI patient based on the second set of features.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a water-cooling plate having a first heat exchanging plate, a second heat exchanging plate and a main body. The first heat exchanging plate has a first fin structure. The second heat exchanging plate has a second fin structure. The main body has a partition plate, a first communication port and a second communication port, the main body has a first recess and a second recess, disposed at two sides of the partition plate. The partition plate has a communication opening communicated to the first recess and the second recess. The first fin structure is accommodated in the first recess to define a first channel, and the second fin structure is accommodated in the second recess to define a second channel. The first communication port, the first channel, the communication opening, the second channel, the second communication port are connected with each other sequentially.

Abstract: An impedance adjusting circuit and an impedance adjusting method for zero quotient (ZQ) calibration. The impedance adjusting circuit includes a reference resistor, a first pull-up impedance generator and a second pull-up impedance generator. The reference resistor is coupled between a first sensing node and a low reference voltage. In a first ZQ calibrating operation, the impedance adjusting circuit connects the first pull-up impedance generator to the first sensing node, and compares a first reference voltage and a sensing voltage on the first sensing node to generate the first calibration signal. In a second ZQ calibrating operation, the impedance adjusting circuit connects the second pull-up impedance generator to the first sensing node, and compares a second reference voltage and the sensing voltage to generate the second calibration signal.

Abstract: An electronic device with dynamic lighting effect and a method for generating dynamic lighting effect are provided. The method for generating dynamic lighting effect includes the following steps. A lighting effect tracking frame is provided according to an eye position of a user, a dynamic lighting effect frame is received, or a predefined lighting effect frame is stored. The lighting effect tracking frame, the dynamic lighting effect frame or the predefined lighting effect frame is obtained. A size adjustment procedure is performed on the lighting effect tracking frame, the dynamic lighting effect frame or the predefined lighting effect frame to obtain a lighting effect control map. The dynamic lighting effect device is controlled according to the lighting effect control map to generate the dynamic lighting effect.

Abstract: A mesh network of food and/or beverage robots, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. For example, a method of operating a beverage robot at a vending location can include receiving an order requesting a beverage and determining the geographic location information associated with the order. The method can also include determining an estimated time of arrival of the user picking up the order and completing the order within a time threshold of the estimated time of arrival. The method can also include determining a delivery time for a delivery person to deliver the beverage from the vending location to a delivery location and adjusting at least one ingredient in the recipe of the beverage based on the delivery time.

Abstract: A mesh network of food and/or beverage robots across multiple store locations, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. For example, a method of operating the mesh network can include receiving an order for a beverage from a first beverage robot in a first store location and identifying one or more beverage robots that are available to prepare the beverage. The second robots can be identified as available based on one or more ingredients required by a recipe for the beverage. The method can also include, for each individual beverage robot identified, determining an estimated reception time at the individual beverage robot based on when a user would receive the order from the individual beverage robot. The method can then include presenting estimated reception times to the user, receiving selection of a beverage robot, and sending the order to the selected beverage robot.

Abstract: A blast furnace blower device includes a body, a flow guidance structure and a cooling module. The body is hollow inside. The body includes an inlet area, an outlet nozzle area, and a fuel nozzle area. The fuel nozzle area is located between the outlet nozzle area and the inlet area, and a channel is formed from the inlet area to the outlet nozzle area. The flow guidance structure is deployed continuously or discontinuously along an inner wall of the body. The flow guidance structure is located between the fuel nozzle area and the outlet nozzle area. The flow guidance structure has a nozzle distance range along an axial direction of the body to the outlet nozzle area. The cooling module is located outside the body.

Abstract: An impedance adjusting circuit is provided. The impedance adjusting circuit of the disclosure includes a sensing node, a pull-up impedance generator, a zero quotient (ZQ) calibrating circuit and a controller. The pull-up impedance generator is coupled between an external voltage and the sensing node. The controller enables a detecting mode in response to a detecting command, and detect a sensing voltage on the sensing node in the detecting mode. When the sensing voltage is in a default voltage range, the controller controls the ZQ calibrating circuit to perform a ZQ calibrating operation on the pull-up impedance generator. When the sensing voltage is out of the default voltage range in the detecting mode, the controller provides a trimming command to the ZQ calibrating circuit. The ZQ calibrating circuit provides a build-in trim code to the pull-up impedance generator in response to the trimming command.

Abstract: An impedance adjusting circuit is provided. The impedance adjusting circuit of the disclosure includes a sensing node, a pull-up impedance generator, a zero quotient (ZQ) calibrating circuit and a controller. The pull-up impedance generator is coupled between an external voltage and the sensing node. The controller enables a detecting mode in response to a detecting command, and detect a sensing voltage on the sensing node in the detecting mode. When the sensing voltage is in a default voltage range, the controller controls the ZQ calibrating circuit to perform a ZQ calibrating operation on the pull-up impedance generator. When the sensing voltage is out of the default voltage range in the detecting mode, the controller provides a trimming command to the ZQ calibrating circuit. The ZQ calibrating circuit provides a build-in trim code to the pull-up impedance generator in response to the trimming command.

Abstract: An impedance adjusting circuit and an impedance adjusting method for zero quotient (ZQ) calibration. The impedance adjusting circuit includes a reference resistor, a pull-up impedance generator, a controller and a detection circuit. The reference resistor is coupled between a sensing node and a low reference voltage. The pull-up impedance generator is coupled to an external voltage. The controller connects the pull-up impedance generator to the sensing node and compares a reference voltage and a sensing voltage on the sensing node to generate the calibration signal in a ZQ calibrating operation. When the sensing voltage is out of a specification range in the ZQ calibrating operation, the detection circuit notifies the controller to perform a compensation operation on the pull-up impedance generator, and modify the calibration signal to an adjusted calibration signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with dummy and active pixel structures and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a first pixel region with a first pixel structure, a second pixel region, surrounding the first pixel region, includes a second pixel structure adjacent to the first pixel structure and electrically isolated from the first pixel structure, and a contact pad region with a pad structure disposed adjacent to the second pixel region. The first pixel structure includes a first epitaxial structure disposed within a substrate and a first capping layer disposed on the first epitaxial structure. The second pixel structure includes a second epitaxial structure disposed within the substrate and a second capping layer disposed on the second epitaxial structure. Top surfaces of the first and second epitaxial structures are substantially coplanar with each other. The first and second epitaxial structures includes a same semiconductor material.

Abstract: An impedance adjusting circuit and an impedance adjusting method for zero quotient (ZQ) calibration. The impedance adjusting circuit includes a reference resistor, a pull-up impedance generator, a controller and a detection circuit. The reference resistor is coupled between a sensing node and a low reference voltage. The pull-up impedance generator is coupled to an external voltage. The controller connects the pull-up impedance generator to the sensing node and compares a reference voltage and a sensing voltage on the sensing node to generate the calibration signal in a ZQ calibrating operation. When the sensing voltage is out of a specification range in the ZQ calibrating operation, the detection circuit notifies the controller to perform a compensation operation on the pull-up impedance generator, and modify the calibration signal to an adjusted calibration signal.