Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for automatically providing a lending offer for loyalty points based on a customer account analysis. One example method includes initiating an offer analysis for a customer account associated with a particular customer and storing an account balance and a point deficit balance. The offer analysis determines whether to provide an offer for a point loan, and is based on profile information of the customer, a current point balance, and a reward identified from the loyalty account. If an offer is to be provided, an offer for a loan of points equal to the difference between the current point balance of a loyalty account and the point value cost of the reward is transmitted to a client device of the customer. If accepted, the current point balance and the point deficit are both incremented by the amount of the offer.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for automatically providing a lending offer for loyalty points based on a customer account analysis. One example method includes initiating an offer analysis for a customer account associated with a particular customer and storing an account balance and a point deficit balance. The offer analysis determines whether to provide an offer for a point loan, and is based on profile information of the customer, a current point balance, and a reward identified from the loyalty account. If an offer is to be provided, an offer for a loan of points equal to the difference between the current point balance of a loyalty account and the point value cost of the reward is transmitted to a client device of the customer. If accepted, the current point balance and the point deficit are both incremented by the amount of the offer.

Abstract: A method for assembling a cigarette involves placing a cigarette starter cone in an internal cavity of a holding fixture carried on a translatable carriage at a first station, moving the carriage to a second station, loading a quantity of content into the cone at the second station by a content loading mechanism, moving the carriage to a third station, packing the loaded content in the cigarette starter cone at the third station by a packing mechanism flowing pressurized gas, moving the carriage to a fourth station, exposing the open end of the cigarette starter cone at the fourth station, clamping an exposed portion of the paper cone at the open end by a twister mechanism, activating the twister mechanism, rotating the twister mechanism at least one full turn, twisting the open end closed, and releasing the paper cone, and opening the holding fixture, releasing the packed and twisted-closed cigarette.

Abstract: Accelerated data acquisition using two-dimensional (“2D”) radio frequency (“RF”) pulse segments as virtual receivers for a parallel image reconstruction technique, such as GRAPPA, is provided. Data acquisition is accelerated using segmented RF pulses for excitation, refocusing, or both, and undersampling k-space along a dimension of the RF pulse segments. In this way, parallel image reconstruction techniques, such as GRAPPA, can be adapted to work with a single RF receive coil. By undersampling the data acquisition and finding correlations between the data from different segments, unsampled data can be recovered. This shortens scan times, yielding the advantages of segmented pulses without the formerly required long scans.

Abstract: A method involves placing a cigarette starter cone in a cavity of a holding fixture carried on a carriage at a first station, moving the carriage to a second station, loading a quantity of content into the cone at the second station by a content loading mechanism, moving the carriage to a third station, packing the loaded content in the cigarette starter cone at the third station by a packing mechanism flowing pressurized gas infused with terpene oil or vapor, moving the carriage to a fourth station, exposing the open end of the cigarette starter cone at the fourth station, clamping an exposed portion of the paper cone at the open end by a twister mechanism, activating the twister mechanism, rotating the twister mechanism at least one full turn, twisting the open end closed, and releasing the paper cone, and opening the holding fixture, releasing the packed and twisted-closed cigarette.

Abstract: A method for assembling a cigarette involves placing a cigarette starter cone in an internal cavity of a holding fixture carried on a translatable carriage at a first station, moving the carriage to a second station, loading a quantity of content into the cone at the second station by a content loading mechanism, moving the carriage to a third station, packing the loaded content in the cigarette starter cone at the third station by a packing mechanism flowing pressurized gas, moving the carriage to a fourth station, exposing the open end of the cigarette starter cone at the fourth station, clamping an exposed portion of the paper cone at the open end by a twister mechanism, activating the twister mechanism, rotating the twister mechanism at least one full turn, twisting the open end closed, and releasing the paper cone, and opening the holding fixture, releasing the packed and twisted-closed cigarette.

Abstract: A twisting apparatus has a rotor driven around an axis by an electric motor, a microcontroller; three elastomeric balls at ends of pivot arms mounted to a lower surface of the rotor such that arms may pivot to move the elastomeric balls toward or away from the central axis, a clutch mechanism having a clutch plate with pins interacting with the pivot arms such that rotation of the rotor from a stopped position in one direction closes the elastomeric balls toward the central axis, and rotation of the rotor from a stopped position in the opposite direction retracts the elastomeric balls; and a detection device sending a trigger event to the micro-controller. The trigger event closes the elastomeric balls on the cigarette end, then reverses to release.

Abstract: A twisting apparatus has a rotor driven around an axis by an electric motor, a microcontroller; three elastomeric balls at ends of pivot arms mounted to a lower surface of the rotor such that arms may pivot to move the elastomeric balls toward or away from the central axis, a clutch mechanism having a clutch plate with pins interacting with the pivot arms such that rotation of the rotor from a stopped position in one direction closes the elastomeric balls toward the central axis, and rotation of the rotor from a stopped position in the opposite direction retracts the elastomeric balls; and a detection device sending a trigger event to the micro-controller. The trigger event closes the elastomeric balls on the cigarette end, then reverses to release.

Abstract: Accelerated data acquisition using two-dimensional (“2D”) radio frequency (“RF”) pulse segments as virtual receivers for a parallel image reconstruction technique, such as GRAPPA, is provided. Data acquisition is accelerated using segmented RF pulses for excitation, refocusing, or both, and undersampling k-space along a dimension of the RF pulse segments. In this way, parallel image reconstruction techniques, such as GRAPPA, can be adapted to work with a single RF receive coil. By undersampling the data acquisition and finding correlations between the data from different segments, unsampled data can be recovered. This shortens scan times, yielding the advantages of segmented pulses without the formerly required long scans.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for automatically providing a lending offer for loyalty points based on a customer account analysis. One example method includes initiating an offer analysis for a customer account associated with a particular customer and storing an account balance and a point deficit balance. The offer analysis determines whether to provide an offer for a point loan, and is based on profile information of the customer, a current point balance, and a reward identified from the loyalty account. If an offer is to be provided, an offer for a loan of points equal to the difference between the current point balance of a loyalty account and the point value cost of the reward is transmitted to a client device of the customer. If accepted, the current point balance and the point deficit are both incremented by the amount of the offer.

Abstract: A robot control system has a monitoring mechanism wearable on a portion of human anatomy, proximal a specific human joint, the monitoring mechanism comprising sensors monitoring relative positions of portions of the human anatomy to either side of the specific joint, circuitry associated with the mechanism, transmitting data concerning the relative positions to a computerized robot control platform, and a robot mechanism having a robotic joint simulating the specific human joint, and further comprising remotely-controllable actuators manipulating robot elements to either side of the robotic joint. The computerized robot control platform controls the remotely-controllable actuators according to the data concerning the relative positions, causing the robot mechanism to emulate the movement of the specific human joint in near real time.

Abstract: A robot control system has a jointed mechanism with sensors and actuators in a rotatable sphere, tracks movements of a person engaged in the jointed mechanism through the sensors, as commands causing movement of a robot machine, which also has sensors and actuators mirroring the sensors and actuators of the jointed mechanism. The robot machine sends activity data back to influence actuators at the jointed mechanism, providing tactile feedback to the person engaged in the jointed mechanism.

Abstract: A robot control system has a jointed mechanism with sensors and actuators in a rotatable sphere, tracks movements of a person engaged in the jointed mechanism through the sensors, as commands causing movement of a robot machine, which also has sensors and actuators mirroring the sensors and actuators of the jointed mechanism. The robot machine sends activity data back to influence actuators at the jointed mechanism, providing tactile feedback to the person engaged in the jointed mechanism.

Abstract: A system has an actuator having a rotor or a linear piston, and ports for hydraulic fluid, an electro-mechanical sensor sensing position of the rotor or linear piston, a valve having a 1 plug in a bore of a valve body, the plug having cross bores aligning with passages within the valve body communicating inlet and outlet ports depending on relative position of the plug in the bore of the valve body, a servo motor to move the plug around or along the axis to different positions to align individual ones of the cross bores with individual ones of the passages communicating with individual ones of the ports, and a programmable controller coupled to the electro-mechanical sensor and to the servo motor, the controller enabled to control the servo motor to accomplish programmed movement and position of the rotor or linear piston of the hydraulically-driven actuator.

Abstract: A multi-port servo valve includes a valve plug within a valve body bore, where the plug has multiple holes radially positioned at different axial positions, and the bore has multiple ports, where the valve plug may be controlled to (i) align a first set of plug holes with a first set of bore ports to a first open position, (ii) align a second set of plug holes with a second set of bore ports to a second open position, and (iii) preclude alignment of the plug holes with the bore ports to a valve closed position. The system also includes a servo motor configured to control the position of the valve plug within the bore, and a programmable controller in electrical communication with the servo motor and a sensor associated with the hydraulic cylinder for automated operation.

Abstract: A smart router executes software that receives script for web pages requested by appliances on a WIFI provided by the router, strips advertisements from the scripts, and replaces the advertisements with promotional material from data storage in the router. The router executes a variety of programs implemented to enhance financial performance of an enterprise that hosts the router.

Abstract: A system has an actuator having a rotor or a linear piston, and ports for hydraulic fluid, an electro-mechanical sensor sensing position of the rotor or linear piston, a valve having a 1 plug in a bore of a valve body, the plug having cross bores aligning with passages within the valve body communicating inlet and outlet ports depending on relative position of the plug in the bore of the valve body, a servo motor to move the plug around or along the axis to different positions to align individual ones of the cross bores with individual ones of the passages communicating with individual ones of the ports, and a programmable controller coupled to the electro-mechanical sensor and to the servo motor, the controller enabled to control the servo motor to accomplish programmed movement and position of the rotor or linear piston of the hydraulically-driven actuator.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and an article of manufacture for forwarding messaging service messages within a mobile communications network are shown and described. In some instances, upon receipt of a messaging service message a network element responds with a different destination for the received message and a command to resolve the location of the different destination. The resolution may occur by a network element that is different from the receiving network element.

Abstract: A guidewire for a catheter, comprising: an anchor for providing an anchoring force that inhibits longitudinal movement of the guidewire when the guidewire is deployed within a body cavity, duct or vessel. The anchor can provide a gripping force by pressing outwards against the tissue and in such a way that a closed path contact line between the anchor and tissue is defined. A system for cardiovascular intervention using a guidewire with anchor. A deployment system for a guidewire with anchor.

Abstract: A method, machine-readable medium, and server to create a key, set an expiration event for the key to expire, send the key to a first client device to encrypt the document, authenticate a second client device that is in receipt of the encrypted document, delete the key if the expiration event has occurred, and send the key from to the authenticated second client device to decrypt the document if the expiration event has not yet occurred. For one embodiment, the key is used by client devices for encryption and decryption of the document only and is not otherwise accessible to the client devices. For one embodiment, the server facilitates sending the encrypted document to the second client device but does not retain a copy of the encrypted document.