Abstract: Described is a passenger seat having a supporting device for holding a portable electronic device coupled to a seat back of the passenger seat. The support includes at least one arm having a first position and a second position, and a base coupled to the arm, having a stowed position and a deployed position. In the first position, the arm may be oriented along the seat back and in the second position the arm may extend away from the seat back such that the base is spaced away from the seat back. In the deployed position, the base may extend from an end of the arm such that the base is positioned at a non-zero angle with respect to the arm.

Abstract: A method for cyber security monitor includes monitoring a network interface that is input-only configured to surreptitiously and covertly receive bit-level, physical layer communication between networked control and sensor field devices. During a training mode, a baseline distinct native attribute (DNA) fingerprint is generated for each networked field device. During a protection mode, a current DNA fingerprint is generated for each networked field device. The current DNA fingerprint is compared to the baseline DNA fingerprint for each networked field device. In response to detect at least one of RAA and PAA based on a change in the current DNA fingerprint to the baseline DNA fingerprint of one or more networked field devices, an alert is transmitted, via an external security engine interface to an external security engine.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects of a method for contacting a methane composition with a catalyst system to produce H2 and a carbon co-product. In some aspects, the catalyst system comprises (i) a Ni—Cu alloy catalyst comprising Ni and Cu, and (ii) a support. In some additional aspects, the Ni and Cu are present at a Ni:Cu mass ratio ranging from greater than zero to 4.5. Also disclosed herein are aspects of a method for making the disclosed catalyst system.

Abstract: A gel composition possessing good cohesive properties. In one embodiment, the gel composition includes a phase-change material. The phase-change material is preferably an aqueous salt solution. The gel composition also includes a cross-linkable thickener. The cross-linkable thickener preferably is compatible with an aqueous salt solution and preferably includes one or more cross-linkable hydroxyl groups. The gel composition additionally includes a boron-containing cross-linker that is present in an amount that is sufficient to gel the formulation. The weight ratio in the gel composition of boron to thickener is preferably in the range of about 1:250 to 1:50. When packaged in a container, the gel composition resists flowing when the container is torn or punctured. The present invention is also directed at a method of preparing the gel composition, at a thermal exchange implement including the gel composition, and at methods of preparing and using the thermal exchange implement.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include alignment apparatuses for circuit boards, inverter assemblies, and methods for fabricating an assembly with a circuit board placed on an alignment apparatus. An illustrative apparatus includes an electrically insulative substrate having a first substantially planar surface and a second substantially planar surface forming an opposing side of the first substantially planar surface. The second substantially planar surface defines therein self-aligning features that are configured to align at least one power module pin with the electrically insulative substrate. The first substantially planar surface has at least one alignment feature configured to align a printed circuit board with the electrically insulative substrate. The apparatus also includes a routing feature coupled to the electrically insulative substrate. The routing feature is configured to route at least one low voltage conductor.

Abstract: A gaming machine provides a spinning reel game having a base game, from which a hold and spin feature game may be triggered when a determined number of configurable symbols are displayed in a base game outcome. When the feature game is triggered, the configurable symbols may be held in place. The player may be provided one or more spins during the feature game in which to collect additional configurable symbols. Any additional configurable symbols may be retained on the display during subsequent spins until the feature game is completed. A trigger symbol, which may or may not be a configurable symbol, may cause reel expansion. The reel expansion may involve adding a row or a column. In some examples, the trigger symbol also may alter the value of at least some configurable symbols. For example, the trigger symbol may cause the value of a configurable symbol to increment.

Abstract: The present invention is a washing device with a handle, tensioning member, and loofah. The tensioning member is rotatably attached to the handle by means of a pivot. A plurality of capture features extend from the tensioning member, around which a rope of the loofah is configured to removably attach the loofah to the handle. The tensioning member is rotated away from the handle to expose the capture features, and is rotated towards the handle to create tension is the rope, which secures the loofah to the handle. The loofah further comprises a sponge portion which is configured against a loofah plate at a washing end of the handle. The washing device is used to wash oneself by grasping a handle portion of the handle and using the washing end of the handle with the loofah attached to wash oneself.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include alignment apparatuses for circuit boards, inverter assemblies, and methods for fabricating an assembly with a circuit board placed on an alignment apparatus. An illustrative apparatus includes an electrically insulative substrate having a first substantially planar surface and a second substantially planar surface forming an opposing side of the first substantially planar surface. The second substantially planar surface defines therein self-aligning features that are configured to align at least one power module pin with the electrically insulative substrate. The first substantially planar surface has at least one alignment feature configured to align a printed circuit board with the electrically insulative substrate. The apparatus also includes a routing feature coupled to the electrically insulative substrate. The routing feature is configured to route at least one low voltage conductor.

Abstract: A method for cyber security monitor includes monitoring a network interface that is inputonly configured to surreptitiously and covertly receive bit-level, physical layer communication between networked control and sensor field devices. During a training mode, a baseline distinct native attribute (DNA) fingerprint is generated for each networked field device. During a protection mode, a current DNA fingerprint is generated for each networked field device. The current DNA fingerprint is compared to the baseline DNA fingerprint for each networked field device.

Abstract: A gaming machine provides a spinning reel game having a base game, from which a hold and spin feature game may be triggered when a determined number of configurable symbols are displayed in a base game outcome. When the feature game is triggered, the configurable symbols may be held in place. The player may be provided one or more spins during the feature game in which to collect additional configurable symbols. Any additional configurable symbols may be retained on the display during subsequent spins until the feature game is completed. A trigger symbol, which may or may not be a configurable symbol, may cause reel expansion. The reel expansion may involve adding a row or a column. In some examples, the trigger symbol also may alter the value of at least some configurable symbols. For example, the trigger symbol may cause the value of a configurable symbol to increment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining the authenticity of a petroleum hydrocarbon allegedly comprising at least one specific chemical marker, as well as a method for determining adulteration of a petroleum hydrocarbon marked with at least one specific chemical marker. The methods claimed and described herein rely upon the use of specific chemical markers in combination with laser ionization at a wavelength of between about 300 nm and about 370 nm coupled with ion mobility spectrometry or with mass spectrometry.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an agricultural intelligence computing system stores a digital model of crop growth, the digital model of crop growth being configured to compute nutrient requirements in soil to produce particular yield values based, at least in part, on data unique to an agricultural field. The system receives agronomic field data for a particular agronomic field, the agronomic field data comprising one or more input parameters for each of a plurality of locations on the agronomic field, nutrient application values for each of the plurality of locations, and measured yield values for each of the plurality of locations. The system computes, for each location of the plurality of locations, a required nutrient value indicating a required amount of nutrient to produce the measured yield values. The system identifies a subset of the plurality of locations where the computed required nutrient value is greater than the nutrient application value.

Abstract: Described is a passenger seat having a supporting device for holding a portable electronic device coupled to a seat back of the passenger seat. The support includes at least one arm having a first position and a second position, and a base coupled to the arm, having a stowed position and a deployed position. In the first position, the arm may be oriented along the seat back and in the second position the arm may extend away from the seat back such that the base is spaced away from the seat back. In the deployed position, the base may extend from an end of the arm such that the base is positioned at a non-zero angle with respect to the arm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of marking a petroleum hydrocarbon by adding to and uniformly mixing with said petroleum hydrocarbon a chemical marker of general formula (I) wherein two of the residues R1-R10 are independently of each other selected from C1-C4-alkoxy, and eight of the residues R1-R10 are independently of each other selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C4-alkyl, as well as to a composition of a petroleum hydrocarbon comprising a petroleum hydrocarbon and at is least one chemical marker of general formula (I). The presence and concentration of the chemical marker of general formula (I) in the composition of the petroleum hydrocarbon can be advantageously determined by laser ionization coupled with mass spectrometry or by laser ionization coupled with ion mobility spectrometry.

Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include illustrative inverter modules that are integratably mountable with a drive unit of a vehicle, illustrative drive units with an inverter module integratably mounted therewith, and illustrative vehicles with at least one drive unit with an inverter module integratably mounted therewith. Given by way of non-limiting example, an illustrative module for a drive unit of a vehicle includes a housing having an open face defined therein. Inverter circuitry is disposed in the housing.

Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure relates to relates to CO2-free methods of co-producing hydrogen and solid forms of carbon via methane decomposition. The methods are efficient, self-sustaining, and environmentally sound. In a further aspect, the disclosure relates to recyclable and recoverable catalysts supported by solid forms of carbon and methods for recycling the catalysts. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to catalysts that do not require support by solid forms of carbon. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.