Abstract: A portioned moist tobacco product with a super-hydrated membrane coating and method of manufacturing is disclosed. The super-hydrated membrane coating is formed by ionic cross-linking using two polymers. The soluble component of the super-hydrated membrane coating dissolves upon placement in the mouth, while the insoluble component maintains the tobacco within the coating for the duration of the use of the product. The moist tobacco product is soft and flexible so as to fit comfortably in an oral cavity when placed therein.

Abstract: An integrated solution strategy that integrates multiple domains together in a seamless and standardized way for increasing a users control over facilities and equipment. This integrated approach can lead to a reduction of energy usage, more efficient energy usage, increased safety, health, and security of a facility and its occupants, optimized production in industrial settings, and associated and other economic advantages. Accurate, reliable information about a facility or equipment is essential to making timely, informed decisions. Enhanced automation provides a reliable means of collecting and assembling a variety of operating data and archiving that data into a central database for evaluation, reporting, forecasting, and negotiation with resource marketers.

Abstract: A decoder decodes a set of data streams received at a receiver based on a tree search that employs a subset of decoding constellation points. The decoder can form a tree wherein each level of the tree corresponds to one of the set of data streams. Each level of the tree includes a plurality of nodes corresponding to a set of candidate constellation points, wherein the set of candidate constellation points indicating possible values of data received via the set of data streams. For tree levels beyond an initial tree level, the decoder expands each node (that is, calculates the metrics for nodes of the next tree level) for only a subset of candidate constellation points, wherein the subset of candidate constellation points is based on a sign value of the node.

Abstract: An embodiment for bandgap reference voltage circuitry includes: a bandgap reference voltage generator including: a first bipolar junction transistor (BJT); a first amplifier having a non-inverting input coupled to a collector of the first BJT and a first output node configured to provide a bandgap reference voltage; a first resistor coupled between a base of the first BJT and the first output node; a second BJT; a second amplifier having a non-inverting input coupled to a collector of the second BJT and a second output node coupled to a junction node; a second resistor coupled between a base of the second BJT and the junction node; and a third resistor coupled between the base of the first BJT and the junction node.

Abstract: Updated radio protocol data may be propagated in a peer-to-peer (P2P) distribution scheme so that peer devices that are incompatible with a particular radio protocol may be dynamically re-configured to communicate with other devices using the particular radio protocol. A remote server(s) may push updated radio protocol data to a hub device, which thereafter disseminates the radio protocol data to other peer devices. These peer devices can forward the data to downstream peer devices, and so on, without further intervention by the remote server(s) that initiated the distribution. The transfer of radio protocol data over P2P connections may occur using a broadcasting technique where, prior to the transfer, a device in possession of the radio protocol data broadcasts an indication to nearby peer devices, which can receive the broadcast and indicate to the broadcaster whether they are ready to receive the radio protocol data.

Abstract: A handover procedure can be implemented using a codec-specific threshold as a triggering event for the handover procedure. A mobile device can initiate a communication session with a serving access point (AP). The mobile device can receive a codec established for the communication session, access a set of codec-specific thresholds stored in memory of the mobile device to determine a handover triggering threshold that is specific to the codec used for the communication session. The mobile device can measure a parameter of a radio signal from the serving AP, and when the measured parameter falls below the codec-specific threshold, a handover procedure can be initiated to transition the communication session to a target AP.

Abstract: The invention provides activated or inactivated compositions combining quaternary ammonium compounds and anionic surfactants or acids. The invention further provides activated or inactivated compositions combining quaternary ammonium compounds and anionic chelants or polymers. Activated antimicrobial compositions comprised of a quaternary ammonium compound having less than a C20 chain length, and an anionic carboxylate surfactant having C6-C10 chain length are disclosed. Activated compositions of the invention have a pH of between about 1 and 7 and are substantially free of silanes, sulfates and oxidants. Inactivated antimicrobial compositions comprised of a quaternary ammonium compound having less than a C-20 chain length, and an anionic sulfate or sulfonate surfactant are disclosed. Compositions of the invention have a 10 mole to 1 moles ratio of quaternary ammonium compound to anionic surfactant or about 1 mole to 10 moles ratio. Methods of making and employing the compositions are disclosed.

Abstract: Microelectronic systems having embedded heat dissipation structures are disclosed, as are methods for fabricating such microelectronic systems. In various embodiments, the method includes the steps or processes of obtaining a substrate having a tunnel formed therethrough, attaching a microelectronic component to a frontside of the substrate at a location covering the tunnel, and producing an embedded heat dissipation structure at least partially within the tunnel after attaching the microelectronic component to the substrate. The step of producing may include application of a bond layer precursor material into the tunnel and onto the microelectronic component from a backside of the substrate. The bond layer precursor material may then be subjected to sintering process or otherwise cured to form a thermally-conductive component bond layer in contact with the microelectronic component.

Abstract: An implantable device for providing electrical stimulation of cervical vagus nerves for treatment of chronic cardiac dysfunction is provided. A stimulation therapy lead includes helical electrodes configured to conform to an outer diameter of a cervical vagus nerve sheath, and a set of connector pins electrically connected to the helical electrodes. A neurostimulator includes an electrical receptacle into which the connector pins are securely and electrically coupled. The neurostimulator also includes a pulse generator configured to therapeutically stimulate the vagus nerve through the helical electrodes in alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition that are tuned to both efferently activate the heart's intrinsic nervous system and afferently activate the patient's central reflexes by triggering bi-directional action potentials.

Abstract: A conveyor belt including a carry cover layer, a reinforcement layer which is situated below the carry cover layer, and a pulley cover layer which is situated below the reinforcement layer, where the reinforcement layer is comprised of steel cordage and rubber matrix, and wherein the rubber matrix includes zinc oxide in an amount greater than 5 phr and a cobalt derivative in an amount of 1 phr or greater. In some cases, the rubber matrix includes zinc oxide in an amount of 11 phr or greater, or even in an amount of 16 phr or greater. In some cases, the rubber matrix includes the cobalt derivative in an amount of 2 phr or greater, or even in an amount of from 3 phr to 4 phr. In some aspects, the rubber matrix is devoid of lead oxide.

Abstract: A patient care integration system and methods are provided which may include one or more steps, such as: receiving a request for social data of a patient via an electronic medical records graphical user interface (EMR graphical user interface) of an electronic medical records system (EMR system), the EMR graphical user interface displayed on a display screen of a client device; querying a non-medical care coordination system (NMCC system) for social data of the patient; returning social data for the patient via from the NMCC system; generating a non-medical care coordination graphical user interface (NMCC graphical user interface) within the EMR graphical user interface, the NMCC graphical user interface displaying the social data on the display screen of the client device; and creating a social referral for the patient via the NMCC graphical user interface in the NMCC system.

Abstract: A smoking article includes a sheet material including a fibrous layer formed of cellulosic fibres and at least 50% by weight of inorganic filler material having a particle size in range of from 0.1 microns and 50 microns, wherein the sheet material has a tensile strength of at least 900 N/m. The fibrous layer includes a binder material, such as an organic binder material. The organic binder material can be a cellulosic binder material. A coating layer may be provided on at least one side of the fibrous layer.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for tracking animals, which may include production animals as well as pets. The system and method may comprise a tag system that is attached to an animal that generally has at least a near-field-communication (NFC) tag. The tag system comprises at least an NFC tag and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. For NFC tags, such tags may be read with a portable computing device, such as a mobile telephone running NFC reader application software. The phone may communicate with a communications network and ultimately a computer server in order to relay information received from a respective electronic tag. The electronic tags may be fastened, embedded, or ingested by an animal. The electronic tags may be part of a mechanical coupling. Each mechanical coupling may comprise a different structure depending on the whether the tags are fastened to, embedded in, or ingested by the animal.

Abstract: A method of optimizing system parameters in a crude unit to reduce corrosion and corrosion byproduct deposition in the crude unit is disclosed and claimed. The method includes measuring or predicting properties associated with the system parameters and using an automated controller to analyze the properties to cause adjustments in the chemical program to optimize the system parameters. Adjusting the system parameters effectively controls corrosion in the crude unit by reducing the corrosiveness of a fluid in the process stream and/or by protecting the system from a potentially corrosive substance. System parameter sensing probes are arranged at one or more locations in the process stream to allow accurate monitoring of the system parameters in the crude unit.

Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of an approach to attaching one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules to a roof of a building. More particularly, described herein are embodiments of an approach to attaching glass-glass PV modules using an adhesive. Such an adhesive may be applied to contact points between the roof and a support frame that holds the glass-glass PV module(s) in place and that may be mechanically coupled to the glass-glass PV module(s). Use of the adhesive in this way may be particularly advantageous when the roof is sloped, including when the roof has a steep slope, which may include roofs having a rise-to-run ratio greater than 4:12, greater than 6:12, or greater than 8:12. The adhesive may, in some embodiments, aid in reducing, minimizing, or eliminating the use of mechanical anchor points that may be needed to support the glass-glass PV module(s) on the roof.

Abstract: A method includes fabricating a set of die in a production run, each die comprising a set of pads at a periphery of a top metal layer, a first set of fuse elements, and a second set of fuse elements. Each fuse element of the first set of fuse elements couples a corresponding pad of the set to a corresponding bus when in a conductive state, and each fuse element of the second set couples a corresponding subset of pads of the set together when in a conductive state. The method further includes selecting a subset of the die of the production run for testing, and configuring each die of the subset for testing by placing each fuse element of the first set in a non-conductive state and placing each fuse element of the second set in a conductive state.

Abstract: A QoE (quality of experience) system utilizes QoS (quality of service) of a mobile network and specification of user device connected for providing a personalized metric (QoE) that represents an expected level of user experience at a geographic location. The personalized metric can be calculated based on the QoS of the mobile network at the geographic location and hardware/software characteristics of the user device to implement specific services at the user device using the mobile network. While QoS of the mobile network merely represents quality of network communication regardless of device characteristics, QoE can represent actual expectation of user experience at a user device using the mobile network.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to autonomous vehicles and associated mechanical, electrical and electronic hardware, computing software, including autonomy applications, image processing applications, cloud storage, cloud computing applications, etc., and computing systems, and wired and wireless network communications to facilitate autonomous control of vehicles, and, more specifically, to systems, devices, and methods configured to identify permissioned parking relative to multiple classes of restricted and privileged parking.