Abstract: Techniques for collecting statistics of column data or R-Tree indexes are provided. A distributed database system includes a plurality of processing nodes controlling portions of spatial data. The nodes are instructed to create minimum bounding rectangles (MBR's) for their spatial data or R-Trees. The individual MBR's are merged and reformatted into a grid of equally sized cells. Each processing node is provided a copy of the grid to update based on statistics of each processing node's spatial data for a target table. The updated grids are then merged into a single grid and used by an optimizer to evaluate queries before the queries are executed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a porous heterogeneous catalyst. In order to prepare a catalyst which catalyzes with a relatively high selectivity the hydrogenation of individual unsaturated bonds of polyunsaturated compounds it is proposed that the inner surface of the catalysts is coated with an ionic liquid.

Abstract: In one example, a two points on a medical image can be identified. In this example, three or more anatomical features can be identified and labeled. For example, these labels can be displayed with other medical images that show the same anatomical features. For example, points in the L1 and L5 vertebrae can be identified, and labels for the L1-L5 vertebrae can be displayed.

Abstract: Various embodiments include an apparatus comprising a server operable to generate a customized virtual catalog including a plurality of composite images, wherein at least one of the plurality of composite images includes an image of a promotional product decorated using a decorative image associated with a client requesting access to the customized virtual catalog.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an availability analysis tool includes executable code that is operable to calculate an availability value for a system having a number of operational units. The executable code may receive one or more reliability metrics for each operational unit and designate one or more reliability metrics for at least spare unit associated with the operational unit to be similar to the one or more reliability metrics. An availability value for the system may be calculated according to the reliability metrics of the operational unit and its associated at least one hot or cold spare unit. The executable code may then output this calculated availability value to the user interface.

Abstract: A gallery widget is invoked when a tag in a markup language document, such as a web page, is processed. The gallery widget selects a number of images specified in the tag and places the images in the markup language document as defined by the tag. The images are selected from a gallery containing all images available for display or from a pool of images chosen from the gallery using a gallery administration tool.

Abstract: A method is provided to evaluate whether one or more test patterns is power safe for use during manufacturing testing of an integrated circuit that includes a nonuniform power grid and that includes a scan chain, the method comprising: assigning respective toggle count thresholds for respective power grid regions of the non-uniform power grid; and determining whether respective numbers of toggles by scan elements of the scan chain within one or more respective power grid regions meet respective toggle count thresholds for the one or more respective regions during at least one scan-shift cycle in the course of scan-in of a test pattern to the scan chain.

Abstract: Methods and systems for transmitting data are presented. Data received from at least one data source is retained in at least one buffer. In one example, initial hierarchical data may be provided from the at least one buffer to a device, followed by additional hierarchical data. In one example, the data is received into the at least one buffer via a multicast connection, and the data is provided to the device via a point-to-point connection.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a correlation SONAR system is adapted for use in shallow water. A pulse generator transmits an initial burst of pulses towards a bottom of a body of water. Echoes of the initial burst of pulses are received on a hydrophone array. After the receiving the echoes of the initial burst of pulses, a second burst of pulses is transmitted towards the bottom of the body of water. The echoes of the second burst of pulses are received on the hydrophone array, and a SONAR processor correlates a pulse from the initial burst of pulses and a pulse from the second burst of pulses to calculate a velocity estimate.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive, sequentially, individual lines of information included in a file stored in an electronic storage medium; to locate one or more tables in a spreadsheet when at least two of the lines in a sequence are consecutive lines that begin with a non-empty cell and have a matching length; to determine a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation of the tables based on an arrangement of the information within the lines and across the lines; and to create metadata from the information, based on the arrangement. The metadata may comprise object label names, object qualifications, and/or object data types. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Some embodiments include methods and apparatus to decode a functional request embedded in a portion of a standard device request, and execute the functional request by a universal serial bus (USB) device. The standard device request can include a Get_Descriptor request. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: A source signal is converted into a time-variant temperature field with transduction into mechanical motion. In one embodiment, the conversion of a source signal into the time-variant temperature field is provided by utilizing a micro-fabricated fast response, bolometer-type radio frequency power meter. A resonant-type micromechanical thermal actuator may be utilized for temperature read-out and demodulation.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a type driven interface for a wagering game machine. One aspect of the systems and methods includes providing a game framework including a game library manager that manages creation, update and deletion of multiple wagering games on a gaming machine.

Abstract: Approaches are disclosed for lock optimization and lock prediction for reducing the number of client-server messages involved in working with server-based resources. First one or more lock requests for first one or more locks on a remote data resource that is linked by a slow communication link are received. Based on the first one or more lock requests, a sequence of lock requests for locks on the remote data resource is determined. A first message that includes the sequence of lock requests is sent. A second message is received. The second message includes second one or more locks on the remote data resource, where the second one or more locks correspond to second one or more lock requests of the sequence of lock requests. A particular lock of the second one or more locks is granted in response to receiving a particular lock request for the particular lock on the remote data resource.

Abstract: A method and system to schedule delivery of items of content selectively to online users are described. Expected values relating to each user being online is determined during a given time period. An ordered list of the items of content to be selectively delivered to the users is generated based on the expected values. The ordered list may be prioritized to meet delivery requirements associated with the items of content.

Abstract: A system in which a check and its duplicate are formed. In an embodiment, a mating device mates a base stock of a negotiable instrument with a base stock of a duplicate negotiable instrument to form mated base stock. In one embodiment, the base stock of the duplicate negotiable instrument has a photosensitive coating applied to a portion of the duplicate negotiable instrument. A printing device may be used to print personalized information on the base stock of negotiable instrument portion of the mated base stock. Also, an exposure unit may be used to apply light to the mated base stock, wherein the application of the light to the mated base stock transfers a portion of the personalized information on the negotiable instrument to the duplicate negotiable instrument.

Abstract: Disclosed in one example is a data access method in which a request for application data from a first application is received. The application data is searched for in a first cache and responsive to a miss from the first cache, a second cache is contacted over a network and searched. Responsive to a miss from the second cache, a third cache is contacted over a network and searched. The third cache being specific to one of a plurality of geographical areas, the third cache storing data for the first application and a plurality of other applications executing in that geographical area, the searching for the application data in the third cache including searching data stored by the plurality of other applications and data stored by the first application. If the third cache misses, a persistent store is contacted over a network and searched. If any of the first, second, or third caches hits, receiving the application data.

Abstract: Various device embodiments comprise a pulse generator, a signal processing module and a controller. The pulse generator is adapted to provide a neural stimulation signal to be applied at a neural simulation site within an autonomic nervous system (ANS). The signal processing module is adapted to receive and process sensed neural traffic at a neural sensing site within the ANS. The controller is connected to the pulse generator and adapted to provide a neural stimulation control signal to the pulse generator to generate the neural stimulation signal, and to the signal processing module to receive a feedback control signal indicative of the sensed neural traffic. The controller is adapted to adjust the neural stimulation control signal to adjust at least one parameter of the neural stimulation signal to converge on desired sensed neural traffic at the neural sensing site. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: Techniques real-time adaptive password policies are presented. Patterns for passwords are regularly analyzed along with other factors associated with the patterns to dynamically determine password strength values. The strength values can change over time based on usage statistics. When a strength value falls below an acceptable threshold, passwords associated with that particular pattern can be downgraded or rejected in real-time and existing policy can be adapted to reflect the undesirability of that pattern.