Abstract: A valve for a landing packer in a petroleum well. The landing packer is provided with a passage between an upper face and a lower face, and the valve is adapted to close the passage. The valve comprises a biased valve body adapted to be displaced between a first position and a second position. The valve body is adapted to receive a tool from above. The valve body is adapted to be displaced from a first position to a second position by a downward force executed by the tool. It is also described a tool comprising a leading end adapted to abut fluid tightly the biased valve body and the tool is adapted to displace the biased valve body between the first closed position and the second open position. It is also described a method for plugging the A-annulus in a petroleum well.

Abstract: A borehole system performs a method for identifying a pay zone in a formation. A processor measures a first dielectric constant of the formation at a selected depth or depth interval in a borehole in the formation using a first electromagnetic wave or signal transmitted through the formation at the selected depth or depth interval at a first frequency, measures a second dielectric constant of the formation at the selected depth or depth interval in the borehole in the formation using a second electromagnetic wave or signal transmitted through the formation at the selected depth or depth interval at a second frequency, and identifies the pay zone in the formation based on the first dielectric constant at the selected depth or depth interval and the second dielectric constant at the selected depth or depth interval.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the integrity of a subsea well or a fluid sequestration site by detecting the presence of a first predetermined chemical in a volume of fluid being released at a flow rate in excess of a threshold value, the apparatus comprising a detection unit configured to detect the first predetermined chemical, and a fluid control unit configured to capture the volume of fluid, direct the volume fluid to the detection unit, and restrict the flow of the volume of fluid to the detection unit until its flow rate exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A blower includes a case having an opening, an impeller disposed in the case, a motor disposed in the case and configured to drive the impeller, a grommet disposed in the case, a wiring, and a plug member. The grommet includes first and second holes that communicate between an inside and an outside of the case via the opening. The wiring is inserted into the first hole. The plug member closes the second hole.

Abstract: A spectrally selective absorbing coating for receivers acting in air of thermal and thermodynamic solar systems having a substrate and at least a protective structure capable of protecting the metal component of the protective structure and the metal components of the absorbing coating against the atmospheric oxidizing agents, the protective structure which in turn includes a metal layer upon which a ceramic layer is arranged.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for storing electricity and high-temperature energy. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device for storing electricity and high-temperature energy, which can efficiently store both high-temperature energy and electric energy of various qualities, and which can be operated and managed conveniently such that same can be utilized in a range substantially wider than that of conventional devices. More specifically, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a device for storing electricity and high-temperature energy, which operates in such a manner that an operating fluid that is easy to handle, such as water or air, is used to directly store thermal energy in a thermal storage medium with a high-temperature operating fluid, or electric energy is converted into thermal energy, which is stored in a thermal storage medium, and the thermal energy is recovered, if necessary, with a low-temperature operating fluid.

Abstract: A compact stock for an AR-style firearm includes a receiver extension configured to attach to a lower receiver, a buffer assembly receivable in the receiver extension, a buffer biasing member receivable in the receiver extension, and a buffer locking mechanism. The buffer assembly is configured to reciprocate between a retracted position wherein the buffer assembly is contained within the receiver extension, and an extended position wherein the buffer assembly is in-battery within an upper receiver. The buffer biasing member is configured to bias the buffer assembly toward the extended position. The buffer locking mechanism is configured to selectably retain the buffer assembly and the buffer biasing member within the receiver extension when the buffer assembly is in the retracted position such that the upper receiver is rotatable relative to the lower receiver about a forward take down pin of the firearm unimpeded by the buffer assembly and buffer biasing member.

Abstract: A control method includes obtaining, in real time during operation of a movable platform, data of a plurality of sensors located at one or more arm assemblies of the movable platform, performing real-time calibration using the data to obtain a calibration result that characterizes a relative pose between the plurality of sensors, and performing movement control on the movable platform according to the calibration result.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for indicating the presence of a directional differential pressure between separated adjacent spaces are provided. At least one movable element may be movable within an inclined conduit from a first vertically lower region to a second vertically higher region in response to a differential pressure between a first space and a second space separated by a barrier. The inclination of the conduit may be adjustable along a plane transverse to the barrier.

Abstract: A current sensor includes busbars through which a current to be measured flows, magnetic detectors capable of detecting a magnetic field generated when the current to be measured flows through the busbars, a storage space storing the magnetic detectors, and a housing with which part of the busbars is integrated. Ends of the busbars are connected to an external first unit including a cooling device, and other ends of the busbars are connected to an external second unit whose temperature becomes higher than that of the first unit when the current to be measured flows. In the current sensor, which is capable of measuring a current value of the current to be measured from a result of the detection performed by the magnetic detectors, the housing has first vents penetrating from the inside of the storage space to the outside on a side facing the first unit.

Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a steering wheel, and a sensor unit configured to detect contact or close proximity of a human body to the steering wheel. The sensor unit includes: an electrode provided in the steering wheel, a measuring device configured to measure an electrostatic capacitance of the electrode, and a switching element configured to switch the electrode between a first state in which the electrode is grounded and a second state in which the electrode is not grounded.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an optical fiber cable. The optical fiber cable includes a cable jacket having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface defines a central bore extending along a longitudinal axis of the optical fiber cable. The optical fiber cable also includes a plurality of subunits disposed within the central bore. Each subunit includes a plurality of optical fibers. The plurality of optical fibers includes at least one water-blocking optical fiber. The at least one water-blocking optical fiber has an outermost coating layer of a UV-cured resin configured to absorb at least 20 grams of water per gram of the UV-cured resin. The optical fiber cable has a cross-sectional area defined by the outer surface of the cable jacket. The optical fiber cable has a fiber density of at least 4 fibers/mm2 as measured at the cross-sectional area.

Abstract: An optical imaging system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens having negative refractive power, a fifth lens having positive refractive power, a sixth lens having a convex image-side surface, and a seventh lens, disposed sequentially from an object side. The optical imaging system satisfies ?5.0<f2/f<?2.0, where f is a focal length of the optical imaging system and f2 is a focal length of the second lens. An F No. of the optical imaging system is less than 1.7.

Abstract: A contact lens (201) and methods of manufacturing such a lens are described. The lens (201) includes an optic zone (202). The optic zone (202) comprises a central region (205), the central region (205) having a first optical axis (219), a base radial curvature power, a base radial sagittal power, and a centre of curvature that is on the first optical axis (219). The optic zone (202) comprises an annular region (203), wherein at a point halfway across the width of the annular region (203) the annular region (203) has a radial curvature power of X, wherein X is greater than the base radial curvature power. The annular region (203) has an off-axis centre of curvature that is a first distance from the optical axis (219) such that, at a point halfway across its width, the annular region (203) has a sagittal power of Y, wherein Y is greater than the base radial sagittal power, and wherein Y is less than X.

Abstract: A lighting system for a camera, has: a light board having a central axis, the light board having fingers circumferentially distributed about the central axis, the light board having a concave side, a finger of the fingers extending along a finger axis from a proximal end to a distal end and includes sections distributed along the finger axis from the proximal end to the distal end, a section of the sections pivotable relative to a remainder of the fingers; light sources secured on the fingers on the concave side of the light board, the light sources located on respective sections of the sections; and a controller operatively connected to each of the light sources and operable to independently control each of the light sources

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of calibrating relative orientation between imaging sensor and spatial orientation sensor, and relative orientation between imaging sensors.

Abstract: An apparatus in an illustrative embodiment comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The at least one processing device is configured to receive in a storage system from at least one host device at least first and second different input-output timeout values for respective first and second different logical storage devices of the storage system, to store the received input-output timeout values in association with respective identifiers of the first and second logical storage devices in at least one data structure of the storage system, and to control processing of input-output operations, received in the storage system from the at least one host device and targeting respective ones of the first and second logical storage devices, based at least in part on the corresponding input-output timeout values stored in the at least one data structure of the storage system.

Abstract: Monitoring write amplification metrics for a flash-based storage system, including: generating, by a controller of a storage system, data describing write activity for each storage device of a plurality of storage devices of the storage system, wherein the data describing the write activity comprises data describing application write activity for each storage device of the plurality of storage devices; calculating, by the controller of the storage system, for each storage device of the plurality of storage devices, a corresponding write amplification metric; and providing, by the controller of the storage system, to each storage device of the plurality of storage devices, the corresponding write amplification metric.

Abstract: A storage system includes a host, and a storage device configured to receive, from the host, a plurality of first type commands, measure a plurality of latencies of the plurality of first type commands, count a number of occurrences of the plurality of latencies within a first time period, the first time period being a time length among the plurality of latencies, generate latency data including time points when each of the plurality of first type commands are received, based on the number of occurrences exceeding a predetermined threshold value, and output, to the host, the latency data based on an asynchronous event request (AER) command being received from the host.

Abstract: Circuit techniques reduce or prevent audible artifacts in a Universal Audio Jack (UAJ) interface circuit, improving handling of mis-configuration/mis-attachment of devices. The interface includes at least one terminal for accepting an audio input signal or providing an audio line output signal coupled to an input or output of a first audio circuit. The first audio circuit operates from a low voltage domain and receives the audio input signal or provides the audio line output signal. A second circuit operates from a higher voltage domain and a switching circuit couples the at least one terminal to the second circuit. The output is slew-rate controlled to control a transition time of the output, so that audible artifacts in the audio input signal or the audio line output signal that could be generated by the switching circuit connecting the second circuit to the at least one terminal are avoided.