Abstract: A method includes applying a material coating to a surface of a machine component, wherein the material coating is formed from a combination of a hardfacing material, aluminum-containing particles, and a braze material. The method also includes thermally treating the material coating at a temperature to generate an oxide layer comprising aluminum from the aluminum-containing particles, wherein the oxide layer is configured to reduce oxidation of the hardfacing material, and the braze material is configured to facilitate binding between the material coating and the surface of the machine component.

Abstract: A battery assembly can include a backplane comprising a plurality of socket blocks configured to electrically couple respectively to a plurality of battery components. The socket blocks may provide a flexible connection between the battery components and the backplane that allows individual battery components to be replaced without removing entire modules from service. Additionally, the backplane may include a sliding bus bar that controls the electrical connection topology between the socket blocks as it is moved between a first position and a second position with respect to the socket blocks. The backplane may also be configured to connect to a cooling system for the battery components so that the temperature of the battery components can be regulated.

Abstract: A battery assembly can include a pair of batteries. The battery pair may be electrically coupled by a bimetallic strip. When the temperature of the battery assembly exceeds a threshold temperature, the bimetallic strip deforms so that the coupling between the first and second batteries breaks. In other cases, the battery pair may be coupled by a spring-loaded connector. A sacrificial block configured to melt if the temperature of the battery assembly increases beyond the threshold temperature may force the spring into an energy-storing configuration. When the sacrificial block melts, the spring is released, and the connector is forced in a direction away from the battery terminals. Finally, the battery assembly may include a thermopile and one or more relays. When a temperature gradient of the thermopile exceeds a threshold gradient, the thermopile generates a voltage that causes the relays to disconnect the battery assembly from a charging circuit.

Abstract: Described herein are methods of managing series of heterogeneous battery components that can include the steps of: for each of a plurality of terminal sets having one or more adjacent terminals in the series, measuring a respective voltage difference and a respective current draw over a period of time for the terminal set, and calculating a respective normalized parameter value for the terminal set based on the respective voltage difference and the respective current draw for the terminal set; based on normalized parameter values for two or more terminal sets in the series, calculating a statistical measure of the normalized parameter values; determining a switching duty cycle based on the statistical measure; and activating a relay in electrical communication with at least one of the terminal sets in the series using a pulse-width modulated signal having the determined switching duty cycle.

Abstract: A method includes applying a material coating on a surface of a machine component using a thermal spray, wherein the material coating is formed from a combination of a hardfacing material and aluminum-containing particles. The method also includes thermally treating the material coating to generate an oxide layer comprising aluminum from the aluminum-containing particles, wherein the oxide layer is configured to reduce oxidation of the hardfacing material.

Abstract: A method and a system employing an expanded reach rich messaging application (ERRMA) for creating and transmitting a rich message or an equivalent rich message is provided. The ERRMA receives a request to send a rich message on a specified rich messaging channel (SRMC) to a user's mobile number. The ERRMA determines whether the user's mobile number is enabled for receiving rich messages on the SRMC. Upon a successful determination, the ERRMA creates and transmits the rich message on the SRMC to the user's mobile number. Upon an unsuccessful determination, the ERRMA determines whether the user's mobile number is enabled for receiving the rich message on an alternative rich messaging channel. Upon determining that the user's mobile number is enabled for receiving the rich message on the alternative rich messaging channel, the ERRMA creates and transmits the equivalent rich message on the alternative rich messaging channel to a user device.

Abstract: A method includes applying a material coating to a surface of a machine component, wherein the material coating is formed from a combination of a hardfacing material, aluminum-containing particles, and a braze material. The method also includes thermally treating the material coating at a temperature to generate an oxide layer comprising aluminum from the aluminum-containing particles, wherein the oxide layer is configured to reduce oxidation of the hardfacing material, and the braze material is configured to facilitate binding between the material coating and the surface of the machine component.

Abstract: A method provides power from battery units by placing units with a predetermined variance in voltages in a first configuration; detecting a divergence in module voltages; if the divergence crosses a threshold, creating a new configuration of units to provide an even voltage distribution; and electrically rerouting the units to form the new configuration while the battery units are in an idle state or in a reduced mode of operation.

Abstract: An electrical energy storage system, a controller, and methods of using the same are provided. The system includes battery packs connected in parallel, one or more battery power management unit, one or more power converters, and a controller. The controller includes one or more processor and at least one tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with one or more programs configured to perform steps for discharging or charging. The steps include: reading data including state of health (SOH) and state of charge (SOC) from each battery pack, connecting a respective battery pack with a respective power converter; receiving a power command from an energy management system, calculating a respective power rate of each battery pack based on the data of SOH, SOC, and the power command, and discharging power from battery packs to a grid or charging power to battery packs based on the power rate of each battery pack.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for controlling packs of rechargeable batteries by: for each pack: determining electrical characteristics of the pack; determining energy correction for the pack; calculating a voltage correction for the pack; and determining a dispatch modifier for the pack. The system then normalizes the dispatch modifiers for all packs and recalculates the dispatch modifiers for all packs.

Abstract: A composition, a machine component coated with the same, and a method of coating the machine component are provided. The composition includes a CoNiCrAlY alloy, where three or more elements of the CoNiCrAlY alloy are present in equimolar amounts, one of the three or more elements of the CoNiCrAlY alloy being aluminum (Al), and where a molar fraction of Al is between about 0.20 and about 0.25. The composition further includes a transition metal boride including at least one of: cobalt boride (Co2B), titanium boride (TiB2), zirconium boride (ZrB2), tantalum boride (TaB2), niobium boride (NiB2), or molybdenum boride (Mo2B), and a refractory alloy.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an RFID-enabled table game system provides for determining whether there is a variance between an expected balance of inventory and an actual balance of inventory in a game element container. If a variance is detected, the RFID-enabled game system may identify at least one characteristic associated with an RFID-enabled game element that is determined to be a source of the variance (e.g., a player position at which the RFID-enabled game element had last been detected, a denomination or value of the game element, and/or an identifier associated with the game element). In some embodiments, an alert may be output to game provider personnel (e.g., a dealer of a card game) at the end of a game play when such a variance is detected, thus allowing the variance to be corrected in an efficient and timely manner.

Abstract: A method and a system employing an expanded reach rich messaging application (ERRMA) for creating and transmitting a rich message or an equivalent rich message is provided. The ERRMA receives a request to send a rich message on a specified rich messaging channel (SRMC) to a user's mobile number. The ERRMA determines whether the user's mobile number is enabled for receiving rich messages on the SRMC. Upon a successful determination, the ERRMA creates and transmits the rich message on the SRMC to the user's mobile number. Upon an unsuccessful determination, the ERRMA determines whether the user's mobile number is enabled for receiving the rich message on an alternative rich messaging channel. Upon determining that the user's mobile number is enabled for receiving the rich message on the alternative rich messaging channel, the ERRMA creates and transmits the equivalent rich message on the alternative rich messaging channel to a user device.

Abstract: A composition comprising a rare earth solid solution, at least one of HfO2 and CaZrO3/MgZrO3; and balance ZrO2. The rare earth solid solution may include Gd2O3 and Lu2O3. In another example, the rare earth solid solution may include Gd2O3, Lu2O3, and at least one of Yb2O3 and Sm2O3.

Abstract: A method includes applying a material coating on a surface of a machine component using a thermal spray, wherein the material coating is formed from a combination of a hardfacing material and aluminum-containing particles. The method also includes thermally treating the material coating to generate an oxide layer comprising aluminum from the aluminum-containing particles, wherein the oxide layer is configured to reduce oxidation of the hardfacing material.

Abstract: A method and a call routing system (CRS) are provided for routing an incoming call made to one of multiple numbers of a user to a call receiving client application (CRCA) deployed on one or more user devices when the called number is not reachable. The CRS, in communication with the CRCA deployed on one or more user devices, sets up a user account using one or more of the user's multiple numbers. The CRS detects availability of the CRCA on one or more user devices over a data network to accept an incoming call. The CRS receives the incoming call made to one of the numbers, when the called number is not reachable. The CRS routes the incoming call to the CRCA on one or more user devices over the data network on detecting the availability of the CRCA on one or more user devices over the data network.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an RFID-enabled table game system provides for determining whether there is a variance between an expected balance of inventory and an actual balance of inventory in a game element container. If a variance is detected, the RFID-enabled game system may identify at least one characteristic associated with an RFID-enabled game element that is determined to be a source of the variance (e.g., a player position at which the RFID-enabled game element had last been detected, a denomination or value of the game element, and/or an identifier associated with the game element). In some embodiments, an alert may be output to game provider personnel (e.g., a dealer of a card game) at the end of a game play when such a variance is detected, thus allowing the variance to be corrected in an efficient and timely manner.

Abstract: A controller, a system including such a controller, and a method for controlling discharging of a plurality of battery packs are provided. The controller includes one or more processor and at least one tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with one or more programs configured to perform steps to determine a respective discharge power or discharge share for each battery pack for maximizing objective function (J) of the plurality of battery packs defined in Equation (1). The controller provides signals with instructions to the plurality of battery packs and/or the one or more power converters for discharging power from the plurality of battery packs based on the respective discharging share and power of each battery pack and/or keeping a certain battery pack idle.

Abstract: A controller, a system including such a controller, and a method for controlling discharging of a plurality of battery packs are provided. The controller includes one or more processor and at least one tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with one or more programs configured to perform steps to determine a respective discharge power or discharge share for each battery pack for maximizing objective function (J) of the plurality of battery packs defined in Equation (1). The controller provides signals with instructions to the plurality of battery packs and/or the one or more power converters for discharging power from the plurality of battery packs based on the respective discharging share and power of each battery pack and/or keeping a certain battery pack idle.

Abstract: A controller, a system including such a controller, and a method for controlling or managing discharge or charge of a plurality of battery packs are provided. The controller includes one or more processor and at least one tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with one or more programs configured to perform steps to determining a voltage distribution parameter of each battery pack based on its maximum voltage, its minimum voltage for discharge, and a present voltage, assign ranks to the plurality of battery packs based on the voltage distribution parameters, and determine a respective power discharge or charge based on the rank of each battery pack and a total power demand. The controller provides signals with instructions to the plurality of battery packs and/or the one or more power converters for discharging power from or charging power to the plurality of battery packs.