Abstract: A wagering game is provided including an advancing target elimination game, which may be a base or bonus game. In this game, targets are shown to be advancing toward an objective, and the player is given selectable indicia with which to stop the targets. Each pick election may eliminate (or partially damage) a certain number and/or pattern of targets, with a credit value being awarded for each enemy eliminated. The bonus is played by taking turns between a phase of enemy target appearance and movement and a phase of player pick for enemy target elimination. These two phases alternate until an end-bonus condition is achieved.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided that minimize the effects of dark-current pulses. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided where a first pixel is struck (i.e., a primary pixel). Pixels struck within a fixed time frame after the primary pixel is struck are referred to as secondary pixels. After a short fixed time frame has expired, the number of primary and secondary pixels is added. If the count exceeds a threshold, the primary pixel was activated by the first (or early) photon from a true gamma event. If the threshold is not met then it is likely the primary pixel generated a dark pulse that should be ignored.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided that minimize the effects of dark-current pulses. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided where a first pixel is struck (i.e., a primary pixel). Pixels struck within a fixed time frame after the primary pixel is struck are referred to as secondary pixels. After a short fixed time frame has expired, the number of primary and secondary pixels is added. If the count exceeds a threshold, the primary pixel was activated by the first (or early) photon from a true gamma event. If the threshold is not met then it is likely the primary pixel generated a dark pulse that should be ignored.

Abstract: A reel-type wagering game includes at least one wild symbol in the game symbol set. The wild symbol or symbols may appear at multiple game symbol locations across an array of game symbol locations through which results are shown for a play in the game, and may assist in forming winning combinations of game symbols along pay lines. Wild symbols that appear in the array of game symbols for a play of the game, but do not contribute to any winning combination along a pay line, represent noncontributing wild symbols which may provide an alternate winning result for the given play of the wagering game.

Abstract: A slot machine game includes connected paygroups in a symbol array that causes prizes to be awarded, as an alternative or supplement to traditional paylines. The connected paygroups are defined in a reel spin result by counting symbols of a designated type that are contiguous horizontally or vertically. Preferably the designated type is matching symbols. The connected paygroups may be enhanced by wild symbols increasing their size or linking two or more groups to form a larger single group of contiguous symbols. To receive an award, groups must meet a minimum designated size. Players can wager on different sets of connected paygroup sizes like traditional games allow wagering for numbers of paylines. Bonus rounds are provided with special features that enhance connected paygroup sizes.

Abstract: Methods and gaming systems provide a player selection game in which the prizes available in the game increase in response to certain player selections from the various player selectable elements. Prizes are increased in a manner that makes it clear to the player that they have obtained an enhanced prize. In particular, prizes are increased in the course of the player selection game so that the lowest prize available after a prize increase is greater than the highest prize available prior to the prize increase.

Abstract: A wagering game is provided including an advancing target elimination game, which may be a base or bonus game. In this game, targets are shown to be advancing toward an objective, and the player is given selectable indicia with which to stop the targets. Each pick election may eliminate (or partially damage) a certain number and/or pattern of targets, with a credit value being awarded for each enemy eliminated. The bonus is played by taking turns between a phase of enemy target appearance and movement and a phase of player pick for enemy target elimination. These two phases alternate until an end-bonus condition is achieved.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for managing a distributed computing system that features multiple hosts executing a distributed application. On each host a collector process collects application-level and/or system-level metrics and reports them to a data repository. A controller executes actor processes that compare the metrics, and/or trends in the metrics, to predetermined thresholds. If a threshold is met or passed, the corresponding actor or the controller initiates one or more remedy processes that take action intended to alleviate the condition detected by the actor. When a remedy is triggered, the controller takes a snapshot of the system to identify the current state, and saves information indicating how well the executed remedies corrected the situation. When a new snapshot matches an existing snapshot, the controller uses the saved information to determine which remedies to apply to the present occurrence of the mutual state.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for water and wastewater treatment. The system comprises a fixed film biological process and a ballasted flocculation process.

Abstract: A storage system for packaging and storing medical devices with associated data carriers, or tags that can be used for tracking inventory levels and uses of an implant. The storage system includes at least one medical device, and at least one data carrier secured to the at least one medical device, the data carrier including an enlarged substantially planar surface. The storage system further includes a storage device having one or more cavities adapted to receive the medical device and data carrier, each cavity including a cut-out positioned at least partially beneath the enlarged substantially planar surface that allows at least a portion of the enlarged substantially planar surface to pass at least partially there-through.

Abstract: A basin manufactured from a solid slab of stone having a depth of multiple times the thickness of the original slab, which may match the naturally occurring patterns of said slab when used as a countertop, and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: A method and system for treating wastewater is disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes introducing the wastewater into an aerated anoxic treatment unit, flowing an oxygen containing gas into the wastewater in the aerated anoxic treatment unit at a first flow rate, measuring a concentration of a nitrogen species in the wastewater in the aerated anoxic treatment unit, comparing the measured concentration of the nitrogen species to a target nitrogen species concentration, adjusting the flow of the oxygen containing gas into the wastewater in the aerated anoxic treatment unit to a second flow rate in response to a difference in the nitrogen species and the target nitrogen species concentrations, and maintaining the second flow rate for a time period sufficient for the wastewater to be treated in the aerated anoxic treatment unit and form an anoxically treated liquid having a reduced concentration of the nitrogen species.

Abstract: An anti-sweep device having a mechanism that allows a customer to take a pre-determined number of items from a peg or display hook, after which the hook is locked for a pre-determined period of time before allowing another predetermined number of items to be taken.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can support a declarative model-based approach to designing, constructing, and rendering visualizations. By complying with a declarative descriptor, components can be readily customized by way of modifications to the model—declaratively specifying suitable features, behaviors, appearances and so forth. The descriptors that conform to the model can also facilitate connecting to various data sources and performing data transformation operations. Moreover, the descriptors that conform to the model can declaratively specify relationships based upon a scene layout. Accordingly, the architecture can further describe the scene layout and provide features based upon the layout.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for converting a document from a fixed-layout format (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe PDF) into a non-fixed layout format (e.g., HTML) portable to different platforms (e.g., desktop computers, tablet computer, smart phones) operating different operating systems (e.g., Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X) and different web browsers (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Apple Safari, Mozilla FireFox). In one stream, fonts are identified, extracted, and processed to enhance compatibility with the portable format. In another stream, textual content is extracted and processed to enhance compatibility and images are taken of non-textual content. These images are used as backgrounds in the output document, over which the textual content is rendered in the appropriate fonts, with sizing, spacing, positioning and/or other characteristics matching or closely approximating that of the original document.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed in which a gaming machine provides both a base game and a feature game which may be triggered by the base game. The feature game includes a player selectable set of symbols, where the symbols include one or more high and low value incrementing symbols and one or more terminator symbols; such that, when a player selects one of the incrementing symbols, the player's position on a ladder or other graduated sequence increments to a higher value award, all the symbols in the set are shown and then recovered and shuffled with one of the remaining high value incrementing symbols being replaced by a terminator symbol. The process iterating until the player selects a terminator symbol or achieves the jackpot (highest) award on the ladder.