Abstract: A method for awarding blockchain mining fees based on recycling efforts includes: receiving recycling data for each of a plurality of mining systems including an amount of recycled materials associated with the respective mining system; receiving validation data for each mining system from third party entities including, for each mining system, a confirmation of the amount of recycled materials for the respective recycling data; selecting one of the mining systems, which is weighted based on the amount of recycled materials for the respective mining system compared to a total amount of recycled materials for all mining systems; and receiving a new block generated by the selected mining system including a block header and a plurality of blockchain data values including a blockchain data value corresponding to a blockchain transaction for payment of mining fees for the new block to a wallet associated with the selected mining system.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for adjusting AC-DC converter output voltage, the apparatus includes a plurality of ports, an AC-DC converter circuit, a plurality of DC-DC converters coupled to a plurality of controllers, where the plurality of controllers coupled to corresponding plurality of ports to operate the one or more loads, wherein at least one controller is a master controller and the other plurality of controllers are slave controllers. The master controller configured to determine, from the slave controllers power levels for each port, calculate an optimal input voltage value for the DC-DC converters and communicate the calculated value to the AC-DC converter circuit through a constant current source to regulate the amount of DC voltage that is being supplied to the DC-DC converters to operate the one or more loads, thereby leading to improved system efficiency of multiport USB based power adapter.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor; and a computer-readable medium having instructions thereon that are executable by the at least one processor for: prior to initialization of an operating system, executing a pre-boot environment; and within the pre-boot environment, downloading a universal filesystem driver from a first back-end server and loading the universal filesystem driver in the pre-boot environment, wherein the universal filesystem driver is a single pre-boot firmware volume that comprises drivers for a plurality of different filesystems.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor; and a computer-readable medium having instructions thereon that are executable by the at least one processor for: prior to initialization of an operating system, executing a pre-boot environment; and within the pre-boot environment, downloading a universal filesystem driver from a first back-end server and loading the universal filesystem driver in the pre-boot environment, wherein the universal filesystem driver is a single pre-boot firmware volume that comprises drivers for a plurality of different filesystems.

Abstract: A method for ensuring precedence for the processing of a blockchain transaction to prevent loss of cryptographic currency includes receiving a new blockchain transaction by a blockchain node in a blockchain network, confirming the new blockchain transaction including identifying a precedence transaction that was previously conducted and stored in the blockchain that involves both blockchain wallets included in the new blockchain transaction, including the new blockchain transaction in a new block that is generated, and distributing the new block to additional nodes in the blockchain network for confirmation and addition to the blockchain.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor and a basic input/output system configured to be the first code executed by the processor when the information handling system is booted and configured to initialize components of the information handling system into a known state, the basic input/output system further configured to implement a virtual machine monitor, the virtual machine monitor configured to isolate resources of the information handling system allocated to a network boot process of the information handling system from other resources of the information handling system allocated to other components of the basic input/output system.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and systems for reducing user interventions necessary for authentication of electronic payment transactions. In an embodiment the invention comprises (i) receiving from a POS terminal a payment transaction request, and information identifying a first payment card for implementing the payment transaction request, (ii) receiving from a wireless access point, information corresponding to a set of payment cards enrolled with a mobile payment wallet implemented on said mobile communication device, (iii) determining whether received information corresponding to the first payment card matches received information corresponding to any payment card within the set of payment cards enrolled with the mobile payment wallet, and (iv) implementing the requested payment transaction based on the first payment card.

Abstract: A method for ensuring precedence for the processing of a blockchain transaction to prevent loss of cryptographic currency includes receiving a new blockchain transaction by a blockchain node in a blockchain network, confirming the new blockchain transaction including identifying a precedence transaction that was previously conducted and stored in the blockchain that involves both blockchain wallets included in the new blockchain transaction, including the new blockchain transaction in a new block that is generated, and distributing the new block to additional nodes in the blockchain network for confirmation and addition to the blockchain.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, a network interface, and a basic input/output system (BIOS) configured to execute a pre-boot environment. The information handling system may be configured to: during execution of the pre-boot environment, establish a pre-boot network connection to a remote information handling system via the network interface; receive operating system data from the remote information handling system; create a pseudo-device at a specified address of the information handling system; perform direct memory access (DMA) remapping between the pseudo-device and an address range of memory of the information handling system to create a ram disk; and based on the operating system data received from the remote information handling system, initialize an operating system on the ram disk via the specified address of the pseudo-device.

Abstract: A method for improving consensus in a blockchain network through decentralized grouping includes: identifying, by each node of a plurality of nodes in a blockchain network that manages a blockchain, a plurality of groups, where each is comprised of a subset of nodes; generating, by each node in each subset of nodes, a new block for the blockchain; performing, by each subset of nodes, a first consensus operation among all nodes in the subset of nodes for the new block generated by in the subset of nodes to identify a group consensus block, where each node in the subset of nodes receives the group's group consensus block; and performing, by the blockchain network, a second consensus operation among all groups for the identified group consensus block to identify an overall consensus block, where a majority of groups of the plurality of groups receives the overall consensus block.

Abstract: Information handling systems (IHS) and methods are provided to automatically synchronize operating system (OS) and boot firmware languages. In one embodiment, a method may detect a change in an active OS language from a first language pack to a second language pack, notify the boot firmware that the active OS language was changed, and provide an identity of the second language pack to the boot firmware during OS runtime. When the IHS is subsequently rebooted, the active boot firmware language may be synchronized to the active OS language. In another embodiment, the method may detect a change in an active boot firmware language from a first language pack to a second language pack, notify the OS that the active boot firmware language was changed, and provide an identity of the second language pack to the OS during a pre-boot phase. When the OS is subsequently booted, the active OS language may be synchronized to the active boot firmware language.

Abstract: A method of monitoring corrosion of an electrical enclosure in a hazardous environment is provided. The method is implemented with at least one computing device in communication with at least one FBG optical sensor reflecting UV light in the electrical enclosure. The method includes measuring wavelength changes of UV light reflected by the at least one sensor, wherein the wavelength changes are a function of corrosion-related strain in the electrical enclosure. The method also includes computing, by the at least one computing device, the corrosion-related strain in the electrical enclosure based on the measured wavelength changes. The method further includes comparing, by the at least one computing device, the computed corrosion-related strain with a predetermined threshold, and recommending preventive corrosion-related maintenance based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method for improving consensus in a blockchain network through decentralized grouping includes: identifying, by each node of a plurality of nodes in a blockchain network that manages a blockchain, a plurality of groups, where each is comprised of a subset of nodes; generating, by each node in each subset of nodes, a new block for the blockchain; performing, by each subset of nodes, a first consensus operation among all nodes in the subset of nodes for the new block generated by in the subset of nodes to identify a group consensus block, where each node in the subset of nodes receives the group's group consensus block; and performing, by the blockchain network, a second consensus operation among all groups for the identified group consensus block to identify an overall consensus block, where a majority of groups of the plurality of groups receives the overall consensus block.

Abstract: A method for improving consensus in a blockchain network through sampling includes: executing, by a processor of a blockchain node in a blockchain network that manages a blockchain, a script to identify a first sample comprised of a subset of nodes of a plurality of nodes in the blockchain network, wherein nodes included in the subset of nodes are randomly selected; performing, by the subset of nodes comprising the first sample, a first consensus operation among all nodes in the subset of nodes to identify a sample consensus block for the blockchain, where each node in the subset of nodes receives the sample consensus block; and repeating, in the blockchain network, executing the script and performing the first consensus operation for a plurality of additional samples, wherein nodes included in the subset of nodes for each additional sample are randomly selected.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes methods, systems, and networks for authentication based on physical characteristics of a mobile device. A computer-implemented method performed by a payment network includes receiving an image of a part of a mobile device from an image capturing device that communicates with the payment network, wherein the mobile device includes digital card data of a customer. The computer-implemented method may also include comparing a physical condition of the part of the mobile device shown in the received image to the physical condition of the part of the mobile device shown in a stored image. In addition, the computer-implemented method may include authenticating or declining a transaction involving the digital card data based on the comparison of the physical condition of the part of the mobile device in the received image and the stored.

Abstract: Information handling systems (IHS) and methods are provided to automatically synchronize operating system (OS) and boot firmware languages. In one embodiment, a method may detect a change in an active OS language from a first language pack to a second language pack, notify the boot firmware that the active OS language was changed, and provide an identity of the second language pack to the boot firmware during OS runtime. When the IHS is subsequently rebooted, the active boot firmware language may be synchronized to the active OS language. In another embodiment, the method may detect a change in an active boot firmware language from a first language pack to a second language pack, notify the OS that the active boot firmware language was changed, and provide an identity of the second language pack to the OS during a pre-boot phase. When the OS is subsequently booted, the active OS language may be synchronized to the active boot firmware language.

Abstract: A method for ensuring precedence for the processing of a blockchain transaction to prevent loss of cryptographic currency includes receiving a new blockchain transaction by a blockchain node in a blockchain network, confirming the new blockchain transaction including identifying a precedence transaction that was previously conducted and stored in the blockchain that involves both blockchain wallets included in the new blockchain transaction, including the new blockchain transaction in a new block that is generated, and distributing the new block to additional nodes in the blockchain network for confirmation and addition to the blockchain.

Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method includes the operations of transmitting a cold reset signal to a multiple-funding source payment card and receiving a first answer-to-reset message therefrom. The first answer-to-reset message includes governing rules for performing a single-swipe transaction. The operation also includes receiving payment account details for a first payment account in accordance with the governing rules. A first PIN associated with the first payment account is input by a cardholder and a first payment authorization request message for approval of the single-swipe transaction is transmitted. Upon receipt of a payment declined response message, a warm reset signal is transmitted to the payment card. A second answer-to-reset message is received including payment account details for a second payment account.

Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method includes the operations of transmitting a cold reset signal to a multiple-funding source payment card and receiving a first answer-to-reset message therefrom. The first answer-to-reset message includes governing rules for performing a single-swipe transaction. The operation also includes receiving payment account details for a first payment account in accordance with the governing rules. A first PIN associated with the first payment account is input by a cardholder and a first payment authorization request message for approval of the single-swipe transaction is transmitted. Upon receipt of a payment declined response message, a warm reset signal is transmitted to the payment card. A second answer-to-reset message is received including payment account details for a second payment account.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, a network interface, and a basic input/output system (BIOS) configured to execute a pre-boot environment. The information handling system may be configured to: during execution of the pre-boot environment, establish a pre-boot network connection to a remote information handling system via the network interface; receive operating system data from the remote information handling system; create a pseudo-device at a specified address of the information handling system; perform direct memory access (DMA) remapping between the pseudo-device and an address range of memory of the information handling system to create a ram disk; and based on the operating system data received from the remote information handling system, initialize an operating system on the ram disk via the specified address of the pseudo-device.