Abstract: A porous membrane provides enhanced filtration of pollutants and particles by coating the membrane with conformal thin films of doped titanium dioxide via atomic layer deposition or, alternatively, sequential infiltration synthesis. The membrane can either be organic or inorganic, and the doping of the membrane, usually with nitrogen, is an important feature that shifts the optical absorption of the TiO2 from the UV range into the visible-light range. This enables the use of lower energy light, including sunlight, to activate the photocatalytic function of the film. The coating described in the present invention is compatible with virtually any porous membrane and allows for precise tuning of the pore size with molecular precision. The present invention presents a new coating process and chemical structure that provides catalytic activity, strongly enhanced by light, to both mitigate fouling and break down various organic pollutants in the process stream.

Abstract: An adaptive video noise reduction (AVNR) engine reduces noise in streaming video. The engine reads embedded information in the streaming video describing attributes of the video, such as bit rate, frame rate, resolution, content type and quality of the streaming video. The information may be included in a manifest of the streaming video. Based on the video attributes, the engine outputs one or more input values to applications that reduce noise of the streaming video. The one or more applications may reduce mosquito, block, temporal, random and banding noise of the video in response to the input values from the engine.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.

Abstract: An optical communication cable is provided. The cable includes a plurality of elongate optical transmission elements wrapped around an elongate central strength member such that a portion of the length of the plurality of wrapped elongate optical transmission elements form a spiral portion around the elongate central strength member. The cable includes an elastic sleeve surrounding the plurality of elongate optical transmission elements, and the elastic sleeve is formed from an extruded first material. The cable includes a cable body formed from an extruded second material different from the first material, and the cable body surrounds the film, and the cable body has an inner surface that faces the outer surface of the film.

Abstract: A surgical system includes a first detector that includes a first array of pixels configured to detect light reflected by a surgical instrument and generate a first signal comprising a first dataset representative of a visible image of the surgical instrument. The surgical system also includes a second detector, comprising a second array of pixels configured to detect infrared radiation produced by the surgical instrument during a procedure using the surgical instrument and generate a second signal comprising a second dataset representative of an infrared image of the surgical instrument. The surgical system further includes a processor configured to receive the first and second signals, identify from the first dataset data representative of the surgical instrument, and identify from the second dataset data representative of one or more regions of the surgical instrument above a predetermined threshold temperature.

Abstract: A computing device of a data zone includes a persistent storage and a processor. The persistent storage includes a data source. The processor obtains a global computation request, instantiates a global computation based on the global computation request, and instantiates an intermediate computation in a second data zone based on the instantiated global computation.

Abstract: A polar transmitter for an RFID reader and a system using the polar transmitter are disclosed. An RFID system according to at least some embodiments of the invention includes a polar transmitter, a receiver to receive responses from RFID tags, and a coupler connected to the polar transmitter, the receiver and one or more antennas. In at least some embodiments, the polar transmitter of the RFID system includes an envelope amplifier with a multi-phase buck converter to provide an envelope signal and a phase modulator connected to a power amplifier to phase modulate the power amplifier using a phase signal. In at least some embodiments, the polar transmitter of the RFID system transmits OPR-ASK signals to reduce AM modulation depth and provide a continuous phase signal for the phase modulator.

Abstract: Toughened poly(aryl ether sulfone)/poly(aryl ether ketone) blends. The present invention relates to polymer compositions including at least one poly(aryl ether sulfone) (PASS) polymer, at least one poly(aryletherketone) (PAEK) polymer, and at least one impact modifier (IM). The polymer composition may optionally include at least one aromatic polycarbonate (PC) and/or titanium dioxide (TiO2), The polymer composition is particularly suitable for use in mobile electronic devices.

Abstract: A system comprises an integrated small cell and WiFi (ISW) gateway (GW). The ISW GW is integrated with a mobility management entity (MME) and serving gateway (SGW) and has interfaces with both a 3 GPP access network and a TWAN. The ISW GW operates as a common control gateway and a common user gateway for both LTE networks and TWANs. User equipment (UE) by means of the ISW GW is able to access the capabilities of a packet data network (PDN) through either the LTE network or TWAN. Further, the ISW GW provides for an existing communication connection between a UE and a PDN to be handed over from one of the LTE network or TWAN to the other. Still further, the ISW GW supports simultaneously maintaining two communication paths, one via the LTE network and one via the TWAN, between a UE and a packet network.

Abstract: In server/client architectures, the server application and client applications are often developed in different languages and execute in different environments specialized for the different contexts of each application (e.g., low-level, performant, platform-specialized, and stateless instructions on the server, and high-level, flexible, platform-agnostic, and stateful languages on the client) and are often executed on different devices. Convergence of these environments (e.g., server-side JavaScript using Node.js) enables the provision of a server that services client applications executing on the same device. The local server may monitor local events occurring on the device, and may execute one or more server scripts associated with particular local events on behalf of local clients subscribing to the local event (e.g., via a subscription model).

Abstract: The technology relates to detecting a person directing traffic. For instance, a first vehicle may be controlled in an autonomous driving mode. Sensor data is received from a perception system of the first vehicle, the sensor data identifying a person. Behavior of the person is observed using the sensor data. The observed behavior of the person and the observed behavior of a second vehicle are used to determine a likelihood value indicative of whether the person is directing traffic. The first vehicle is maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode based on the determined likelihood value.

Abstract: A method for removing carbon dioxide from a carrier liquid using a heat exchanger. A carrier liquid, containing carbon dioxide, is heated through the heat exchanger, causing the carbon dioxide to vaporize. The carrier liquid and the carbon dioxide gas pass to a liquid removal vessel. The carrier liquid is removed and the carbon dioxide gas is compressed. The compressed carbon dioxide gas is provided to the heat exchanger, cooling the carbon dioxide gas opposite the carrier liquid, producing a carbon dioxide liquid.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to the treatment of diseases or conditions involving the buildup of fatty tissues, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, etc. A composition containing a monoclonal antibody directed against gastric inhibitory polypeptide is administered. This results in a reduced rate of weight gain and a marked decrease in lipid synthesis and accumulation.

Abstract: A method for identifying a drive malfunction source includes receiving as input multiple drive event records each recorded by a different one of multiple storage drives in a mass storage system. Among other data, each one of the drive event records including internal tasks performed by the associated storage drive and communications transmitted between an external host and a controller of the associated storage drive. The method may further include comparing the drive event records using a processor to identify at least one discrepancy in recorded drive events indicative of the drive malfunction source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence from a maize plant and the isolated COP1 nucleic acid sequence is named as ZmCOP1. The present invention also relates to a method of using the ZmCOP1 nucleic acid sequence to control the shade avoidance response of a crop plant for high density farming and yield enhancement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus schedule uplink transmissions with reduced latency. A first type of Power Headroom Report (PHR) can be computed based on transmissions of a first TTI length only being present in a subframe. A second type of PHR can be computed based on transmissions of both the first TTI length and a second TTI length being present in the subframe. The first type of PHR and at least the second type of PHR can be transmitted.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a supercharged internal combustion engine having staged boosting devices. In one example, a system may include an engine coupled to an intake system for receiving charge air and an exhaust system for discharging exhaust gases, an electrically driven compressor arranged in the intake system upstream of a turbocharger compressor, a bypass line, including a bypass valve, coupled across the electrically driven compressor, a throttle arranged at an inlet of the electrically driven compressor, and an exhaust gas recirculation system that couples the exhaust system downstream of the exhaust turbine to the intake system upstream of the electrically driven compressor via a first recirculation branch and between the electrically driven compressor and the turbocharger compressor via a second recirculation branch. In this way, the electrically driven compressor may be operated to reduce condensate formation at an inlet of the turbocharger compressor.

Abstract: A data-storing method for accelerated read throughput of a channel received as part of a multi-channel data stream includes writing a first channel segment of the multi-channel data stream to a first continuous sequence of physical blocks along a first data track of a storage medium within a storage device and identifying a second channel segment of the multi-channel data stream as being a continuation of the first channel segment. The method further includes writing the second channel segment to a second continuous sequence of physical blocks along a second data track responsive to the identification, the second continuous sequence of physical blocks being offset from the first continuous sequence in a down-track direction by a minimum block offset, the minimum block offset representing at least a number of physical blocks on the storage medium that rotate below a read/write element of the storage device during a time that the read/write element is moved from the first data track to the second data track.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a blind connection between a first wire and a second wire where each of the wires are inserted into a sleeve with the first wire laterally inserted into the sleeve for positioning along the first wire and the second wire axially inserted through the sleeve and into engagement with a stop located outside the sleeve to ensure that the second wire is properly positioned in the sleeve before an unseen electrical connection is formed between the first wire and the second wire.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a data processing device, a data processing method, and a program capable of realizing low cost of a reception device receiving a GSE packet conforming to DVB-GSE. An sGSE packet structuring unit sets, as a target, only a PDU (Protocol Data Unit) of which a maximum size is restricted to a predetermined restriction size equal to or less than 4096 bytes and structures an sGSE packet which is a GSE packet in which the PDU is deployed in a data field and which conforms to DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting)-GSE (Generic Stream Encapsulation). The present technology is applicable, for example, when the GSE packet is transmitted or received.