Abstract: When a packet data session is established for a user equipment (UE), a comparative assessment of load information factors from different sets of load information factors associated with a plurality of user plane function (UPF) instances may be performed. Each set of load information factors of a UPF instance may include predicted load information factors indicative of a predicted load at the UPF instance. A UPF instance may be selected for the packet data session of the UE based on the comparative assessment. The comparative assessment may additionally consider a predicted load contribution of the packet data session to be established for the UE. A data analytics function may utilize a model (e.g. a multiple linear regression model) to calculate predicted load contribution factors, where the model is derived based on historical usage data from previous sessions of one or more UEs, for example, data from charging data records (CDRs).

Abstract: A layered tetravalent metal phosphate composition (e.g., a layered zirconium phosphate composition) and a first corrosion inhibitor (e.g., cerium (III), a vanadate, a molybdate, a tungstate, a manganous, a manganate, a permanganate, an aluminate, a phosphonate, a thiazole, a triazole, and/or an imidazole) is dispersed in an aqueous solution and stirred to form a first solution. A precipitate of the first solution is collected and washed to form a first corrosion inhibiting material (CIM), which includes the first corrosion inhibitor intercalated in the layered tetravalent metal phosphate composition. The first CIM is added to a first sol-gel composition to form a first CIM-containing sol-gel composition. The first CIM-containing sol-gel composition is applied on a substrate to form a CIM-containing sol-gel layer, cured by UV radiation, and thermally cured to form a corrosion-resistant coating. One or more additional sol-gel composition may be applied on the substrate.

Abstract: An electrolyte solution for iron-tungsten plating is prepared by dissolving in an aqueous medium a divalent iron salt (e.g., iron (II) sulfate) and an alkali metal citrate (e.g., sodium citrate, potassium citrate, or other alkali metal citrate) to form a first solution, dissolving in the first solution a tungstate salt (e.g., sodium tungstate, potassium tungstate, or other potassium tungstate) to form a second solution, and dissolving in the second solution a citric acid to form the electrolyte solution. An iron-tungsten coating is formed on a substrate using the electrolyte solution by passing a current between a cathode and an anode through the electrolyte solution to deposit iron and tungsten on the substrate.

Abstract: A method of controlling an Internet of Things (IoT) device to perform an action, is performed by an electronic device and includes obtaining at least one input from a user, based on a predefined action corresponding to the obtained at least one input being not identifiable, transmitting the obtained at least one input to a server, receiving, from the server, information regarding at least one activity that is mapped to at least one IoT device that is identified based on the transmitted at least one input, and information regarding at least one object and/or at least one context, and identifying an action to be performed on an IoT device among the at least one IoT device, based on a correlation between the obtained at least one input and the at least one activity mapped to the at least one IoT device.

Abstract: A solution for selecting an optimal user Plane entity (with Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS)) per UE during seamless roaming. In one embodiment, a method is provide that is performed by a control plane entity in a mobile core network that supports inter public land mobile network (PLMN) roaming among two or more PLMNs. The method includes obtaining a create session request from an entity in a second PLMN to which a user equipment has roamed from a first PLMN; selecting a particular user plane entity among a plurality of user plane entities based on one or more user equipment related parameters; and establishing a session with the particular user plane entity to serve user plane traffic in the mobile core network for the user equipment.

Abstract: Illustrative examples of forming material suitable for use in additive manufacturing processes includes operations of: exposing a first polymer powder to a first plasma, such that an amine-functionalized powder is formed; exposing a second polymer powder to a second plasma, such that an epoxide-functionalized powder is formed; and combining the amine-functionalized powder and the epoxide-functionalized powder to form a precursor material. The precursor material is subsequently heated in an additive manufacturing process to form a structure, where heating of the precursor material causes covalent chemical bonds to form between the first polymer powder and the second polymer powder.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes one management cluster to manage network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) resources lifecycle in more than one edge POD locations, where resources include hardware and/or software, and where software resources lifecycle includes software development, upgrades, downgrades, logging, monitoring etc. Methods are provided for decoupling storage from compute and network functions in each virtual machine (VM)-based NFVI deployment location and moving it to a centralized location. Centralized storage could simultaneously interact with more than one edge PODs, and the security is built-in with periodic key rotation. Methods are provided for increasing NFVI system viability by dedicating (fencing) CPU core pairs for specific controller operations and workload operations, and sharing the CPU cores for specific tasks.

Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training a classification neural network. The system generates, from a set of object-specific data, one or more meta-learning datasets for one or more respective initial training tasks. The system determines values for a set of meta parameters by performing meta-learning with a classification neural network on the one or more meta-learning datasets. The system obtains a set of labeled training examples for a characteristic-detection task. The system determines based at least on one of the values for the set of meta parameters and using the set of labeled training examples, target values for the network parameters for the classification neural network to perform the characteristic-detection task.

Abstract: A selection of a fueling station item, graphically depicted on a display of a fuel dispenser and corresponding to an available fueling station product, can be received by at least one data processor of a fuel dispenser. A two dimensional barcode based on the selected fueling station item can be determined. The two dimensional barcode can be provided to the fuel dispenser display for graphical depiction on the fuel dispenser display.

Abstract: Blockchain technology is used to provide distributed authentication, entitlements and trust among different virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) elements. An enterprise blockchain with interfaces enables multi-vendor vRAN deployment across multiple service providers. In another embodiment, a method is provided for authenticating entities in a virtualized radio access network to ensure various entitles are in fact entitled to participate in various radio access network operations.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of enhancing the shelf-life of an activated surface of a thermoplastic material, including: coating at least a portion of a surface of the thermoplastic material with at least one adhesion promoter to provide a coated surface; and treating the coated surface with plasma to provide the activated surface of the thermoplastic material; wherein the activated surface has a contact angle in the range of from about 0 to about 40°; and wherein the presence of the at least one adhesion promoter is effective to maintain the contact angle in the range of from about 0 to about 40° for a time of about 10 days or greater.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides electrolyte solutions for electrodeposition of zinc-manganese alloys, methods of forming electrolyte solutions, methods of electrodepositing zinc-manganese alloys, and multilayered zinc-manganese alloys. An electrolyte solution for electroplating can include a metal salt, boric acid, an alkali metal chloride, polyethylene glycol, and a hydroxy benzaldehyde. An electrolyte solution can be formed by dissolving a metal salt, boric acid, an alkali metal chloride, polyethylene glycol, and a hydroxy benzaldehyde in water or an aqueous solution. Electrodepositing zinc-manganese alloys on a substrate can include introducing a cathode and an anode into an electrolyte solution comprising a metal salt, boric acid, an alkali metal chloride, polyethylene glycol, and a hydroxy benzaldehyde. Electrodepositing can further include passing a current between the cathode and the anode through the electrolyte solution to deposit zinc and manganese onto the cathode.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing powder particle including a surface and at least one functional group formed on the surface, wherein the at least one functional group increases laser energy absorption of the additive manufacturing powder particle. The additive manufacturing particle is treated with plasma radiation to form hydroxyl functional groups on a surface of the additive manufacturing powder particle, where the hydroxyl functional groups have a molecular vibrational frequency corresponding to a laser wavenumber range of laser energy of an additive manufacturing process, and where the plasma radiation treating the additive manufacturing powder particles depends on the laser energy of the additive manufacturing process.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to derive Virtual Network Function (VNF) infrastructure and networking requirements from the virtual network function descriptor and network services descriptor definitions (extended). This results in a fully automated system for VIM creation and VNF onboarding in order to prepare the infrastructure for VNF instantiation.

Abstract: Conversion components may receive game video rendered in high-dynamic-range (HDR) and standard-dynamic-range (SDR) camera video of a game player. The conversion components may provide local video output to a local display and remote video output for network transmission to remote viewers. The SDR camera video may be converted to HDR and provided with HDR game video in the local video output. For HDR network transmission, the HDR game video and converted HDR camera video may be included in the remote video output. For SDR network transmission, the HDR game video may be converted to SDR and provided with the SDR camera video in the remote video output. The game video, camera video and other video feeds may have respective portals in the local and remote video outputs. The local and remote video outputs may have respective visual portal arrangements that may be at least partially different from one another.

Abstract: In certain aspects, a coated steel substrate comprises a single or multiple-layer electroplated aluminum coating over a steel substrate. The multiple-layer electroplated aluminum coating comprises one or more porous layers and one or more compact layers. The one or more porous layers comprise a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys. The one or more compact layers comprise a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys. In certain aspects, a method of depositing a multiple-layer aluminum coating over a steel substrate includes electroplating one or more porous aluminum layers over the steel substrate. The one or more porous aluminum layers comprise a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys. One or more compact aluminum layers are electroplated over the steel substrate. The one or more compact aluminum layers comprise a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys.

Abstract: Illustrative examples of forming and using suitably adapted material in an additive manufacturing process includes operations of: exposing a first polymer sheet to a first plasma, such that an amine-functionalized sheet surface is formed; exposing a second polymer sheet to a second plasma, such that an epoxide-functionalized sheet surface is formed; and combining the amine-functionalized sheet and the epoxide-functionalized sheet, such that the amine-functionalized sheet surface contacts the epoxide-functionalized sheet surface. The workpiece is subsequently heated to form a structure, where heating of the workpiece causes covalent chemical bonds to form between the plasma-treated first polymer sheet and the plasma-treaded second polymer sheet.

Abstract: A method for treating additive manufacturing powder particles is provided. The method includes exposing the additive manufacturing powder particles to plasma radiation, where the plasma radiation forms functional groups, on surfaces of the additive manufacturing powder particles, having molecular bonds that vibrate in response to irradiation by laser energy of an additive manufacturing process, and moving the additive manufacturing powder particles to expose the additive manufacturing powder particles to the plasma radiation.

Abstract: A conductive polymer coating composition including a conductive fibrillated structure and a base polymer, wherein the conductive fibrillated structure includes a fibrillated polymer and a conductive polymer grafted on the fibrillated polymer, and wherein the conductive polymer coating composition has an electrical conductivity from about 10?5 S/cm to about 10+1 S/cm and a thermal conductivity from about 1.1 W/m K to about 3 W/m K.

Abstract: A first data packet can be received from an origination terminal at a remote server operatively coupled to the origination terminal and an end user terminal. The first data packet can have a plurality of offers and image or video data acquired by an image/video sensor. The image or video data can be processed by the remote server using an image processing algorithm to estimate a current idle time associated with the origination terminal. One or more aspects of the plurality of offers can be controlled by the remote server based on the current idle time. A second data packet including the plurality of offers can be transmitted to the end user terminal by the remote server. A selection of a preferred offer of the plurality of offers can be received from the end user terminal at the remote server. The preferred offer can be provided to the origination terminal.