Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for molding a fibrous molded article. An aqueous slurry that contains an amount of water and a plurality of fibers is added to the molding apparatus. First and second molding screens are positioned on a first pressing unit and a second pressing unit, respectively, and include a plurality of openings. The first and second molding screens can include secondary relief features. A pressing chamber sleeve slidably engages with the first pressing unit and the second pressing unit to ensure proper alignment during molding operation. The first and second molding screens at least partially form a void that is intended to receive an amount of the aqueous slurry. The apparatus includes a heat and pressure source that removes at least some of the water from the aqueous slurry and bonds the fibers to one another resulting in the fibrous molded article.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making at least a portion of a garment that includes at least one three-dimensional contour. The disclosed method includes providing a fiber and solvent mixture that includes fibers and a solvent capable to causing a plurality of covalent bonds to be created between the fibers. In many embodiments, the plurality of covalent bonds form when a catalyst, such as heat, is provided to the fiber and solvent mixture. The process can be performed using, for example, either a 3D printer or mold form. The fibers used can be natural, synthetic, or a blend of natural and/or synthetic fibers. The solvent preferably includes ionic salts in water.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums are described for issuing digital certificates to phone numbers and verifying phone numbers based on the digital certificates. For instance, a client may request from a certificate authority a digital certificate to be associated with the client's phone number. The certificate authority issues a phone number challenge to the client to verify that the request did in fact come from the client. The certificate authority signs and issues the digital certificate to the client responsive to a successful challenge. The digital certificates are utilized to exchange messages between a caller and call recipient to determine whether a phone number provided via CLI is accurate or inaccurate. Embodiments described herein determine whether the phone number is accurate using a process referred herein as positive CLI verification and determines whether the phone number is inaccurate using a process referred herein as negative CLI verification.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making at least a portion of a garment that includes at least one three-dimensional contour. The disclosed method includes providing a fiber and solvent mixture that includes fibers and a solvent capable to causing a plurality of covalent bonds to be created between the fibers. In many embodiments, the plurality of covalent bonds form when a catalyst, such as heat, is provided to the fiber and solvent mixture. The process can be performed using, for example, either a 3D printer or mold form. The fibers used can be natural, synthetic, or a blend of natural and/or synthetic fibers. The solvent preferably includes ionic salts in water.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums are described for issuing digital certificates to phone numbers and verifying phone numbers based on the digital certificates. For instance, a client may request from a certificate authority a digital certificate to be associated with the client's phone number. The certificate authority issues a phone number challenge to the client to verify that the request did in fact come from the client. The certificate authority signs and issues the digital certificate to the client responsive to a successful challenge. The digital certificates are utilized to exchange messages between a caller and call recipient to determine whether a phone number provided via CLI is accurate or inaccurate. Embodiments described herein determine whether the phone number is accurate using a process referred herein as positive CLI verification and determines whether the phone number is inaccurate using a process referred herein as negative CLI verification.

Abstract: Techniques for geospatial-temporal pathogen tracing include: obtaining, from multiple mobile devices in association with a first time, first contact tracing data including at least first geospatial traffic data and first values of a set of attributes associated with a pathogen; obtaining, from the multiple mobile devices in association with a second time, second contact tracing data including at least second geospatial traffic data and second values of the set of attributes associated with the pathogen; and applying at least the first contact tracing data and the second contact tracing data to a machine learning model, to obtain actionable intelligence associated with the pathogen.

Abstract: Techniques for geospatial-temporal pathogen tracing in zero knowledge include: generating, by a first user device, a first proximity token for contact tracing; receiving, by the first user device, a second proximity token from a second user device; generating, by the first user device, a hash based on the first proximity token and the second proximity token; generating, by the first user device using a prover function of a preprocessing zero knowledge succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge (pp-zk-SNARK), a cryptographic proof attesting that an individual associated with the first user device tested positive for a pathogen; transmitting, by the first user device, first publicly verifiable exposure data including at least the cryptographic proof and the hash to a public registry; and applying at least the first publicly verifiable exposure data and second publicly verifiable exposure data to a machine learning model, to obtain actionable intelligence associated with the pathogen.

Abstract: One example includes a federated system manager. Asset adapters receive situational awareness data from a respective plurality of mission assets and convert the situational awareness data into a central data format. Mission constraint adapters receive mission constraint data associated with real-time mission constraints from a respective plurality of mission constraint databases and convert the mission constraint data into the central data format. A mission control adapter receives control data from a mission control station to convert mission control data into the central data format and to provide mission status data to the at least one mission control station for real-time control of the mission. A data model repository maintains a universal data model tracking real-time interactive states of the plurality of mission assets, the real-time mission constraints, and the mission control data. The data model repository also generates the mission status data in real-time based on the universal data model.

Abstract: A middleware abstraction layer (MAL) that can include a plurality of middleware application programming interfaces (APIs). Each of the plurality of middleware APIs can be configured to implement a common programming paradigm for a plurality of different service platforms. The MAL can also include a master application programming interface (API). The master API can be configured to provide a plurality of resources for a mission specific application. Each of the plurality of resources is mapped in a registry to an API call to each of the plurality of middleware APIs. The MAL can further include a control engine configured to load an adapter for a selected a middleware API of the plurality of middleware APIs to service a resource request from the mission specific application. The selection can include examining a configuration file to determine an appropriate middleware API to handle the resource request.

Abstract: SSC energy buffer circuit includes a switching network and a plurality of energy storage capacitors. The switching network may operate at a relatively low switching frequency and can take advantage of soft charging of the energy storage capacitors to reduce loss. Efficiency of the SSC energy buffer circuit can be extremely high compared with the efficiency of other energy buffer circuits. The SSC energy buffer architecture exhibits losses that scale with the amount of energy buffered, such that a relatively high efficiency can be achieved across a desired operating range. Improvements in SSC energy buffer circuits include, in various implementations, the use of ground reference gate drive, the elimination of a separate precharge circuit through control of at least a portion of the switches of the SSC energy buffer circuit, and/or optimized ratio of capacitance values of two or more capacitors in an SSC energy buffer circuit.

Abstract: One example includes a computer system. Ports each receive signals corresponding to an interface input associated with user physical interaction provided via an interface device in one of disparate input modes. A multi-modal input system maps an interface input associated with one of the ports provided in a given one of the disparate input modes into a computer input command, maps an interface input associated with another of the ports provided in another one of the disparate input modes into another computer input command, and aggregates the computer input commands into a multi-modal event command. A processor executes a single predetermined function associated with the computer system in response to the multi-modal event command. Thus, the processor is configured to execute the single predetermined function associated with the computer system in response to user physical interaction provided in at least two of the plurality of disparate input modes.

Abstract: One example includes a federated system manager. Asset adapters receive situational awareness data from a respective plurality of mission assets and convert the situational awareness data into a central data format. Mission constraint adapters receive mission constraint data associated with real-time mission constraints from a respective plurality of mission constraint databases and convert the mission constraint data into the central data format. A mission control adapter receives control data from a mission control station to convert mission control data into the central data format and to provide mission status data to the at least one mission control station for real-time control of the mission. A data model repository maintains a universal data model tracking real-time interactive states of the plurality of mission assets, the real-time mission constraints, and the mission control data. The data model repository also generates the mission status data in real-time based on the universal data model.

Abstract: A middleware abstraction layer (MAL) that can include a plurality of middleware application programming interfaces (APIs). Each of the plurality of middleware APIs can be configured to implement a common programming paradigm for a plurality of different service platforms. The MAL can also include a master application programming interface (API). The master API can be configured to provide a plurality of resources for a mission specific application. Each of the plurality of resources is mapped in a registry to an API call to each of the plurality of middleware APIs. The MAL can further include a control engine configured to load an adapter for a selected a middleware API of the plurality of middleware APIs to service a resource request from the mission specific application. The selection can include examining a configuration file to determine an appropriate middleware API to handle the resource request.

Abstract: SSC energy buffer circuit includes a switching network and a plurality of energy storage capacitors. The switching network may operate at a relatively low switching frequency and can take advantage of soft charging of the energy storage capacitors to reduce loss. Efficiency of the SSC energy buffer circuit can be extremely high compared with the efficiency of other energy buffer circuits. The SSC energy buffer architecture exhibits losses that scale with the amount of energy buffered, such that a relatively high efficiency can be achieved across a desired operating range. Improvements in SSC energy buffer circuits include, in various implementations, the use of ground reference gate drive, the elimination of a separate precharge circuit through control of at least a portion of the switches of the SSC energy buffer circuit, and/or optimized ratio of capacitance values of two or more capacitors in an SSC energy buffer circuit.

Abstract: A choke assembly for an internal combustion engine comprising a user interface, a fuel valve, and a choke valve. The choke assembly further comprising an off position, in which the user interface is in a first position, the fuel valve is in a closed position, and the choke valve is in a closed position; a start position, in which the user interface is in a second position, the fuel valve is in an open position, and the choke valve is in the closed position; and a run position, in which the user interface is in a third position, the fuel valve is in the open position, and the choke valve is in an open position.

Abstract: A gas tiller including a frame defining a first pivot axis and a second pivot axis spaced a distance from the first pivot axis, a motor coupled to the frame, a set of rotary tines coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the motor, a swing arm pivotably coupled to the frame and rotatable about the first pivot axis between a first and second arm positions corresponding to travel and tilling configurations, respectively, of the tiller, the swing arm including one or more wheels coupled thereto, and a drag stake pivotably coupled to the frame and rotatable about the second pivot axis between first and second stake positions. Movement of the swing arm between the arm positions moves the drag stake between the stake positions.

Abstract: A gas tiller including a frame defining a first pivot axis and a second pivot axis spaced a distance from the first pivot axis, a motor coupled to the frame, a set of rotary tines coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the motor, a swing arm pivotably coupled to the frame and rotatable about the first pivot axis between a first and second arm positions corresponding to travel and tilling configurations, respectively, of the tiller, the swing arm including one or more wheels coupled thereto, and a drag stake pivotably coupled to the frame and rotatable about the second pivot axis between first and second stake positions. Movement of the swing arm between the arm positions moves the drag stake between the stake positions.