Abstract: Systems as described herein may include authorizing the sharing of data and sharing data between a variety of systems. A request to share data may be provided to a first system. The system may create sharing session data using smart contracts executed by a distributed network system. Sharing session data may be stored using a smart contract. A second system may obtain the sharing session data and verify the sharing session based on the execution of the smart contract. On verification of the sharing session, a variety of data may be shared between the systems identified in the sharing session data. The sharing session data may be established between two systems and/or a number of systems. Smart contracts may provide a variety of functions for authorizing the sharing of data between systems. Additionally, encrypted data may be stored and/or obtained using a smart contract.

Abstract: A method of controlling audio within a vehicle. The method includes determining a selectable driving mode, ascertaining an operating state of an engine in the vehicle, and identifying at least one of an engine start status and a drivetrain status of the vehicle. In response to at least one of the determining, ascertaining, and identifying, selecting a predetermined sound to be output within a passenger cabin of the vehicle; and applying a signal to a speaker of the passenger cabin of the vehicle based on the predetermined sound.

Abstract: Techniques for performing storage tiering in a data storage system taking into account the write endurance of flash drives and the frequencies with which data are written to storage extents in a data storage system are disclosed. Such storage tiering tends to maximize data temperature of a flash tier by selecting hot extents for placement thereon, but subject to a constraint that doing so does not cause flash drives in the flash tier to operate beyond their endurance levels.

Abstract: A beam former processor receives a group of signals for transmission through the plurality of amplifiers, wherein the group of signals is less than a total number of feeds in an antenna array. The beam former processor determines terrestrial regions for transmitting the group of signals. The beam former processor identifies a subset of feeds that are configured to form beams covering the terrestrial regions. The beam former processor controls the switching circuitry to route the group of signals from the plurality of amplifiers to the subset of feeds through the switching circuitry, such that the subset of feeds are enabled to form beams that cover the terrestrial regions based on the group of signals.

Abstract: A portable multithruster unmanned aircraft for search and rescue missions, including avalanche beacon position/detection, as well as military field operations such as “forward observer” deployment is disclosed. In one aspect, the aircraft includes four rotor assemblies, housed in cowlings, deployably stowed in a cylindrical airframe to present a smooth surface for portability in tight quarters, such as a backpack, duffle bag or the like. The rotor assemblies, upon activation, are deployed by mechanical or electromechanical means to operating, flight ready position, exterior the airframe through slots in the skin of the airframe or by unfolding the hinged cowlings nested within the airframe. In one aspect, four deployed rotor assemblies are quadrantally positioned about the airframe, preferably in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis of the airframe. A payload, including a power source, is contained within the cylindrical airframe for operation, including navigation.

Abstract: A valve body and a control valve including such a valve body, the valve body including an inlet, an outlet, and a valve port defined therebetween. The valve body also includes a plurality of discrete flow channels that extend between the inlet and the valve port to distribute fluid flow to the valve port in a manner that equalizes the velocity of fluid at the perimeter of the valve port. The plurality of discrete flow channels includes (i) one or more first flow channels arranged to direct a first amount of the fluid flow to a front portion of the valve port, (ii) one or more second flow channels arranged to direct a second amount of the fluid flow to a rear portion of the valve port, and (iii) one or more third flow channels arranged to direct a third amount of the fluid flow to one or both side portions of the valve port.

Abstract: An exemplary process management server disclosed herein comprises a machine-learning model that may be trained to expose processes from a message stream in response to a training table. In one embodiment, one or more performance metrics of the exposed processes may be monitored to identify a process anomaly or other change in process performance, and to dynamically modify one or more process components in response thereto. Such an arrangement improves system performance, efficiency and resource utilization. For example, system performance may be improved by re-ordering process steps to minimize resource overlap. Efficiency and resource utilization may be improved by re-ordering process steps to maximize parallel processing and reduce lag times and bottlenecks.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to enabling state manipulation of virtual machines (VMs) that have directly assigned hardware devices. A hypervisor manages execution of a VM with a guest operating system. The hypervisor directly assigns a physical (non-virtual) hardware device to the VM, such that the VM has exclusive use of the hardware device and the guest operating system uses the hardware without needing virtualization abstraction/mapping by the hypervisor. When the VM needs to be pauses, suspended, restored, or similarly manipulated, the hypervisor communicates with the VM to cause the guest operating system to perform whatever operations might be necessary by the hardware device. The hypervisor and VM/guest may communicate with a variety of mechanisms, such as a host driver communicating with a guest driver, a virtual bus service backed by a hardware bus of the computer, a virtual bus channel, or the like.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, and memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings and including a respective memory-level semiconductor channel and a respective memory film. Drain-select-level gate electrodes overlie the alternating stack. Drain-select-level pillar structures extend through a respective one of the drain-select-level gate electrodes. Each drain-select-level semiconductor channel is electrically connected to an underlying one of the memory-level semiconductor channels. A planar insulating spacer layer having a homogeneous composition throughout directly contacts top surfaces of the memory films and bottom surfaces of the drain-select-level gate electrodes.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes communicating a wireless advertisement that identifies a clock status of a real-time clock of the access control device, wherein the clock status includes a clock status value indicating that the real-time clock has not been set, establishing a wireless communication connection with a computing device in response to the wireless advertisement, transmitting a session random value to the computing device, receiving a clock update token from the computing device, wherein the clock update token is indicative of an authority of the computing device to update the real-time clock of the access control device, authenticating the clock update token based on at least the session random value, and updating the real-time clock based on a received update time in response to successful authentication of the clock update token.

Abstract: Systems for operating a Sudoku style hybrid game are disclosed. Sudoku style hybrid games can include a themed entertainment game in which a player places symbols into a Sudoku puzzle and events within the entertainment portion of the Sudoku style entertainment game can trigger wagers in a real world game of chance. Players may compete against each other to determine a winning player based on the amount of time taken to complete the puzzle of the Sudoku style entertainment game. The outcome of the wagers can result in payouts of real world credit and can also affect gameplay within the Sudoku style entertainment game.

Abstract: Conductor identification may be provided. A first sleeve may be placed around a first conductor and a second sleeve around a second conductor. Next, a first tag may be placed on the first conductor and a second tag on the second conductor. Then, the first conductor and the second conductor may be pulled together through a conduit. The first conductor may slideably move through the first sleeve and the second conductor may slideably move through the second sleeve as the first conductor and the second conductor are pulled together through the conduit.

Abstract: The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01072294. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01072294. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01072294 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01072294 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.

Abstract: MOFs are disclosed that can efficiently adsorb oxygen from a gas stream, such as air. Systems and methods are also disclosed that utilize MOFs to separate oxygen from a gas stream. The separated oxygen may be used in a commercial process such as a combustion process.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an oleophilic foam includes providing a foam comprising a base material. The base material is coated with an inorganic material using at least one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD), a molecular layer deposition (MLD) or sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) process. The SIS process includes at least one cycle of exposing the foam to a first metal precursor for a first predetermined time and a first partial pressure. The first metal precursor infiltrates at least a portion of the base material and binds with the base material. The foam is exposed to a second co-reactant precursor for a second predetermined time and a second partial pressure. The second co-reactant precursor reacts with the first metal precursor, thereby forming the inorganic material on the base material. The inorganic material infiltrating at least the portion of the base material. The inorganic material is functionalized with an oleophilic material.

Abstract: A load control device may control the amount of power provided to an electrical load utilizing a phase control signal that operates in a reverse phase control mode, a center phase control mode, and a forward phase control mode. A load control device may be configured to determine that the electrical load should be operated via a phase control signal operating in a forward phase-control mode. After determining to operate the electrical load via the phase control signal in the forward phase-control mode, the load control device may provide the phase control signal in a reverse phase-control mode for a predetermined period of time to the electrical load, for example, to charge a bus capacitor of the electrical load. Subsequently, the load control device may be configured to switch the phase control signal to the forward phase-control mode and provide the phase control signal in the forward phase-control mode to the electrical load.

Abstract: Various application-centric user interface techniques are described. A user can easily launch, add, or update applications. An application-centric activity center can be presented as part of a user interface for an operating system shell. A file defining metadata for an application can be defined. The techniques can be applied to game-related software.

Abstract: A method, system, and program product, the method comprising: (1) aggregated account information FDIC aggregated deposit accounts held in a plurality of banks; (2) client account information: (1) obtaining a client available deposit amount, Di; (2) determining, a bank number tier, Ti, for the client account, from among a plurality of tiers based, at least in part, on a level of funds associated with the respective client or relative to tier ranges, wherein each tier has a number of banks associated therewith or a function for computing the number of banks associated therewith; (3) allocating the client available deposit amount, Di, across a number of banks, NT, equal to the number associated electronically with the tier, Ti; and generating data to transfer funds to or from one or more of the banks.

Abstract: Architecture that enables a user to designate acceptance to receiving social cards from other user in a social network using a personal digital assistant. A mapping component maintains the mappings of all users who have accepted to participate in card sharing and the acceptance level. A whitelist of users can be created that lists the users to whom a social card can be sent from an endpoint. The user can create local groups dynamically at runtime on the local endpoint, where the local groups enable the sharing of the personalized content with multiple users concurrently. The shared card is selected by the sending user and becomes available to the PDA on the proactive canvas of the recipient's PDA along with other cards. Based on the user engagement history, these cards can be ranked among other cards social or non-social PDA cards. Conflation, push notifications, and filtering are also provided.

Abstract: A flow cassette has a housing with an inlet and an outlet and a passage therebetween. The flow cassette also has a temperature sensor disposed within the passage and configured to measure the temperature of a fluid flowing through the passage, a flow rate sensor disposed within the passage and configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid flowing through the passage, and a processor coupled to the temperature sensor and flow rate sensor. The processor is configured to accept measurements of temperature and flow rate from the temperature sensor and flow rate sensor, respectively, and provide a compensated flow rate.