Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving computer authentication processes by dynamically adjusting questions presented during authentication. A request for access to an account may be received. A first authentication question may be generated based on a first transaction of a plurality of transactions associated with an account. Based on whether a response to the first authentication question is correct or not, a second or third transaction of the plurality of transactions may be selected, and a second authentication question might be generated based on the selected transaction. It may be determined whether to provide access to the account based on a response to the second authentication question.

Abstract: Aspects discussed herein may relate to techniques for authenticating a user using transaction-based authentication questions. Hold transactions conducted using a financial account may be identified and verified. The hold transactions may be transactions that do not post to the financial account, and therefore are not provided on any financial account statement. The transaction-based authentication questions may be generated based on the identified and verified hold transactions. The user may be authenticated based on responses by the user to the transaction-based authentication questions. Malicious actors that gain access to financial account statements are unlikely to answer the transaction-based authentication questions correctly as they are based on financial transaction data that is not provided on the financial account statements.

Abstract: Aspects described herein may relate to techniques for detecting login activity to a financial account during a knowledge-based authentication process. The login activity may be related to access to an online interface for the financial account. The detection of login activity during the authentication process my indicate that the integrity of the authentication process is compromised as login access may provide an individual with transaction data that may be used to answer transaction-based authentication questions. As a result of detecting login activity, an alternative authentication process may be initiated or an authentication request related to the financial account may be denied.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving the security of personal information by preventing attempts at gleaning personal information from authentication questions. A computing device may receive a request for access to an account associated with a user. The request may comprise candidate authentication information. Based on comparing the candidate authentication information with the account data, the computing device may generate a synthetic authentication question. The synthetic authentication question may be generated as if the candidate authentication information is valid. A response to the synthetic authentication question may be received, and the request for access to the account may be denied.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving computer authentication processes using vocal confidence processing. A request for access to an account may be received. An authentication question may be provided to a user. Voice data indicating one or more vocal utterances by the user in response to the authentication question may be received. The voice data may be processed, and a first confidence score that indicates a degree of confidence of the user when answering the authentication question may be determined. An overall confidence score may be modified based on the first confidence score. Based on determining that the overall confidence score satisfies a threshold, data preventing the authentication question from being used in future authentication processes may be stored. The data may be removed when a time period expires.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving computer authentication processes through the generation of synthetic merchants. A plurality of different real merchant names may be received. The plurality of different real merchant names may be processed to determine one or more name elements. A request for access to an account associated with a user may be received. Based on the one or more name elements, one or more synthetic merchant names may be generated. Based on the one or more synthetic merchant names, synthetic transaction data may then be generated. A synthetic authentication question may be generated and presented to a user. A candidate response to the synthetic authentication question may be received. Based on the candidate response, access to the account may be provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving computer authentication processes by generating authentication questions based on tipping trends. A computing device may receive a request for access to an account. Transactions data conducted by a user may be received. A tipping trend may be determined based on the one or more transactions conducted by the user. Based on the tipping trend, an authentication question may be generated. The authentication question may be provided, and a response to the authentication question may be received. A user device may be provided access to the account based on the response to the authentication question.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a magnetic coupling system to improve stability at low magnetic docking forces, such as docking between a hand held device (102) and its base (104), where the hand held device and the base each contain a magnet (112, 108) with the same direction of polarity, arranged so that the two magnets attract each other when the hand held device is docked to the base. An auxiliary magnet (114) is included in the magnetic coupling system. In one example, the auxiliary magnet may be arranged within the hand held device at a predetermined distance from the other magnet within the hand held device and is arranged with polarity in the opposite directions as the other two magnets. In another example, the auxiliary magnet may be arranged within the base at a predetermined distance from the other magnet within the base and is arranged with polarity in the opposite direction as the other two magnets.

Abstract: Arrays of fiber pigtails can be used to project and receive light. Unfortunately, most fiber pigtail arrays are not aligned well enough for coherently combining different optical beams. This imprecision stems in part from misalignment between the optical fiber and the endcap spliced to the end of the optical fiber. The endcap is often polished, curved, or patterned, causing the light emitted by the endcapped fiber to refract or diffract as it exits the endcap. This refraction or diffraction shifts the apparent position of the beam waist from its actual position. Measuring this virtual beam waist position before and after splicing the endcap to the fiber increases the absolute precision with which the fiber is aligned to the endcap. This increase in absolute precision reduces the deviation in virtual beam waist position among endcapped fibers, making it easier to produce arrays of endcapped fibers aligned precisely enough for coherent beam combining.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving the accuracy of synthetic authentication questions by analyzing third party account data. A request for access to a first account associated with a user may be received. The first account may be managed by a first organization. A transactions database might be queried for first account data. Second account data corresponding to a second account associated with the user might be received. That second account may be managed by a second organization different from the first organization. One or more second transactions, unique to the second account, may be identified. A synthetic transaction, configured to be different from transactions in the first account and the one or more second transactions, may be generated. An authentication question may be generated based on the synthetic transaction. Access to the first account might be provided based on a response to the authentication question.

Abstract: A household appliance includes a control device configured to carry out a treatment program from a plurality of treatment programs, with each of the plurality of treatment programs being determined by a plurality of program parameters, an output unit configured to output a feedback survey in accordance with a feedback cycle to a user of the household appliance, and an adjustment unit configured to adjust the feedback cycle depending on a user feedback detected by an input means.

Abstract: A lid element for use with a canning container includes a centrally disposed domed portion, an annular channel portion disposed radially outwardly of the domed portion, and an annular peripheral portion disposed radially outwardly of the channel portion. The peripheral portion is configured to be axially aligned with a rim of the canning container about a circumference of the rim when the lid element is engaging the rim. The channel portion extends away from each of the domed portion and the peripheral portion with respect to an interior axial direction corresponding to an axial direction of the lid element towards the interior of the canning container when the lid element is engaging the rim.

Abstract: A dishwasher includes a washing chamber, and an automatic metering device configured automatically meter a plurality of metering quantities from a supply of cleaning agent in the form of a solid material into the washing chamber. The automatic metering device is held in a vibration-insulated manner.

Abstract: A household appliance includes a control device configured to carry out a treatment program from a plurality of treatment programs, each of the plurality of treatment programs being determined by a plurality of program parameters. An output unit outputs a feedback survey in accordance with a feedback cycle to a user of the household appliance, and an adjustment unit adjusts a content of the feedback survey depending on a user feedback detected.

Abstract: Aspects discussed herein may relate to techniques for authenticating a user using transaction-based authentication questions. The transaction-based authentication questions may be generated based on a subset of available financial data. Refund transactions and their related transactions may be identified within the available financial data. Data from the refund transactions and their related transactions may be excluded from being used to generate transaction-based authentication questions. In turn, the transaction-based authentication questions are less likely to confuse the user and are more likely to be memorable to the user. Consequently, the likelihood that the user answers the transaction-based authentication question incorrectly is reduced, thereby avoding delays related to the authentication processes that may frustrate the user.

Abstract: Aspects discussed herein may relate to techniques for authenticating a user using transaction-based authentication questions. The transaction-based authentication questions may include one or more “false answer” merchants as potential answers. The false answer merchant choices may exclude any merchant that the user conducted a transaction with using a financial account that is not the financial account for which the user requires authentication. In turn, the false answer merchant choices that are presented to the user are less likely to confuse the user. Consequently, the likelihood that the user answers the transaction-based authentication question incorrectly is reduced, thereby avoiding delays related to the authentication processes that may frustrate the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to mechanisms for oral irrigator fluid channels which provide back flow prevention. The oral irrigator comprises: an irrigator tip; a tether having a first end and a second end, a third channel arranged between the first end and the second end, where the first end of the tether is in fluid communication with the second channel; a reservoir containing a fluid, the reservoir in fluid communication with a pump, the pump in fluid communication with the third channel and the second end of the tether; and an arrowhead check valve comprising a resilient element and an elastic head element, the arrowhead check valve arranged within the first channel, the second channel, or the third channel. The irrigator tip comprises: a nozzle comprising a first channel; and a handle comprising a second channel in fluid communication with the first channel.

Abstract: Embodiments include an omni-channel analytics branding insights engine. The omni-channel analytics branding insights engine can include an omni-channel platform data store configured to receive and store brand data, and an insights interface logic section. The insights interface logic section can receive brand data from the omni-channel platform data store. The insights interface logic section can include an interactive report generator, which can process the brand data, and generate one or more interactive reports based on the brand data for display on a display device. The omni-channel brand analytics insights engine quantifies branding strategies and assists in the understanding of what stories and themes drive the greatest impact, thereby providing key insights for optimizing current and future branding strategies.

Abstract: A system for managing hiring for a company, including a jobs database, a candidate database, a dashboard module, a key performance indicators and statistics module, a contest module, a revenue analytics module, a global knowledgebase, a task module, a payments module, a live platform, a vendor module, and an onboarding module that are in electronic communication with a user interface, the system being stored on non-transitory computer readable media. A method of managing hiring for a company using the system.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an orthotropic deck panel includes cambering a deck plate of the orthotropic deck panel to a first degree of camber in a longitudinal direction, cambering the deck plate to a second degree of camber in a transverse direction, and attaching a rib member of the orthotropic deck panel to the deck plate by welding the rib member to the deck plate. The first degree of camber corresponds to a shape of a surface of which the orthotropic deck panel is a part, and the second degree of camber is configured such that the deck plate is flatter in the transverse direction after the rib member is welded to the deck plate than when the deck plate is being cambered in the transverse direction.