Abstract: In some examples, a facility chooses documents for recommendation to people interested in a distinguished subject. The facility accesses a data resource indicating, for each of a plurality of documents, (1) a subject semantically determined for the document, (2) a number of people who have interacted with the document, and (3) an aggregate level of intensity with which those people have interacted with the document. Based on contents of the data structure, the facility identifies one or more documents (1) for which the distinguished subject has been semantically determined, and (2) with which a relatively large number of people have interacted and/or with which people have interacted with a high aggregate level of intensity. The facility transmits to another computing system data configured to cause the first computing system to present a recommendation for some or all of the identified documents.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the presence of an individual at a particular spot within a location preferably based on the strength of signals received from beacons assigned to the particular spot by a software application (“App”) running on an electronic device of the individual. In one embodiment, certain presence calculations are performed by the App. In another embodiment, the App forwards information regarding the received beacon signals to an electronic identification and location tracking system and the presence calculations are performed by the system.

Abstract: A method of authorising use of a computer program only able to be used when an authorised message is received from an authorising system includes providing an authorisation system, making a request to use a computer program, signalling the request to the authorisation system, the authorisation system recording the use of the computer program and providing the authorisation message to the computer program upon receipt of the authorisation message the computer program may be used.

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provided for delivering products ordered by a customer of a retailer to a delivery destination designated by the ordering customer by way of having another customer pick up the ordered products at the store location of the retailer and then hand off the picked up products to an autonomous transport vehicle that delivers the handed off products to a delivery destination designated by the ordering customer.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for including a single pressure sensor in an evaporative emissions system and fuel system. In one example, a method may include venting a fuel tank of the fuel system, which is isolated from the evaporative emissions system by a fuel tank isolation valve (FTIV), in response to a depressurization condition determined based on a differential pressure measured by a delta pressure sensor coupled across the FTIV. The venting may include pulsing the FTIV open and closed and may further include adjusting the pulsing responsive to the differential pressure measured while the FTIV is closed and independent of the differential pressure measured while the FTIV is open.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for monitoring energy consumption. In one aspect, a method includes sending, to a power monitor of a circuit board, requests for power consumption data. The requests are sent periodically based on a reference clock that is located external to the circuit board and that is more accurate than a clock of the power monitor. Each request is for an accumulated amount of power for components of the circuit board. In response to each request, power consumption data is received from the power monitor. The power consumption data specifies the accumulated amount of power for the components of the circuit board since a previous request sent to the circuit board. An amount of energy consumed by the components of the circuit board over a time period is determined based on the received power measurements and the time period.

Abstract: A retail shopping facility having at least one public entrance, a customer service area, a product display area, and at least one point-of-sale (POS) station also has at least one scanner configured to remotely and uniquely identify a product previously purchased from the product display area as that product re-enters the retail shopping facility via the public entrance with a customer. That scanner provides corresponding identifying information regarding that returning product to a control circuit that in turn uses that information to automatically process an exchange transaction of the returning product for a substitute product in the product display area such that the exchange transaction occurs without the customer engaging either the customer service area or one of the POS stations.

Abstract: A multilumen catheter shaft body includes a proximal end segment with a first durometer and a first longitudinal length dimension. A proximal intermediate segment is fixedly joined to a distal end of the proximal end segment and includes a second durometer and a second longitudinal length dimension. A distal intermediate segment is fixedly joined to a distal end of the proximal intermediate segment and includes a third durometer and a third longitudinal length dimension. A distal terminal end segment is fixedly joined to a distal end of the distal intermediate segment and includes a fourth durometer and a fourth longitudinal length dimension. The first durometer is greater than at least the second and third durometers. The fourth durometer is greater than at least the second and third durometers. A plurality of parallel longitudinal lumens extends through the body, providing a structure useful in a cholangioscope or other endoscopic applications.

Abstract: A radiant heating system includes a radiant heating element, a steering wheel position monitoring device and a controller configured to control the radiant heating element in response to steering wheel position data received from the steering wheel position monitoring device. A method of controlling operation of a radiant system.

Abstract: A multi-stage process for transforming a high sulfur ISO 8217 compliant Feedstock Heavy Marine Fuel Oil involving a core desulfurizing process that produces a Product Heavy Marine Fuel Oil that can be used as a feedstock for subsequent refinery process such as anode grade coking, needle coking and fluid catalytic cracking. The Product Heavy Marine Fuel Oil exhibits multiple properties desirable as a feedstock for those processes including a sulfur level has a maximum sulfur content (ISO 14596 or ISO 8754) between the range of 0.05 mass % to 1.0 mass. A process plant for conducting the process is also disclosed.

Abstract: An operations management system includes a processing system and a memory for storing a resource discovery and capture engine, which is executed by the processing system to discover one or more resources associated with an application in a distributed computing environment in which the one or more resources define a platform for execution of the application, and collect resource configuration information for each of the discovered resources. The resource configuration information comprising data sufficient to replicate the platform to another platform for execution of the application. Once the resource configuration information is collected, the engine generates an application deployment plan that includes the collected resource configuration information.

Abstract: A system for gaging the condition of unmanned platforms is provided. The system can include a plurality of gate machines having a processor and a memory. The system further includes a plurality of sensors for receiving operational data for the unmanned platforms and sending the operational data to the plurality of gate machines. The plurality of gate machines can include computer-readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the plurality of gate machines, cause the plurality of gate machines to perform various steps. One of the steps can include converting the raw signals from the plurality of sensors to normalized values. Another step can include executing a set of obligations if a gate trigger is valid. Finally, another step can include testing one or more subsequent gates of the plurality of gate machines if the gate closure condition is valid.

Abstract: A blood sampling device is provided having holder with a manipulating end and an absorbent probe on the opposing end. The probe is of hydrophilic polymer sized to directly absorb a predetermined volume of up to about 30 microliters of blood. Ribs on the holder position the probe within a compartment of a container to prevent contact with the container. The ribs also position the probe within extraction wells.

Abstract: Continuous extraction concentration and isolation units are constructed with at least one extraction chambers containing extractable material. Without disruption of total fluid flow in the unit: an extraction chamber completely depleted of extract can be refilled with fresh extractable material or can be replaced with an extraction chamber containing fresh extractable material. Extract are continuously separated from one or more solvents in expansion chambers and removed. All solvents can be retained within the unit. One or more compressors circulate the fluids through the extraction chambers, the expansion chamber, and a condenser, where the expansion chamber and the condenser can be coupled as a heat exchanger. One or more isolators can be included for selectively removing components that are extracted from the plant material without disruption of the process and provide the removed components in concentrated or pure form.

Abstract: A nasal splint and methods for using such splints are provided. The nasal splint may include an elongate generally planar member comprising first and second ends, and a first outer surface and an opposite second outer surface; a tubular airway extending along the first outer surface at least partially between the first and second ends, thereby defining a lumen having an opening adjacent the first end; and a structure on one of the elongate member and tubular airway adjacent the first end supporting a feature that is spaced apart from the first outer surface and configured to support a suture across the opening when the suture is directed through the elongate member adjacent the first end and the feature.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates generally to various embodiments of holders and packaging for giving gifts. In particular, the invention relates to various gift card holders that hold a gift card and enhance the presentation and gift giving experience for recipients and gift givers alike. The holders and packing also permit a gift card disposed therein to be visible, scanned, accessed, or otherwise activated without removing the gift card from the holder.

Abstract: A reversible load floor for a vehicle includes a first side defining a planar surface. The reversible load floor also includes a second side disposed opposite of the first side. The second side includes a container, which extends from the second side along a vertical axis at a center of a spare tire such that, in a first position, the first side is accessible via a cargo compartment and the container is disposed over the spare tire, and, in a second position, the first side extends across a top of the spare tire and the container is accessible via the cargo compartment.

Abstract: Mechanisms for improving resource usage of a computing system by properly balancing the timing of performance degradation analysis of an executable action set of a query based on an impact on the workload of that query. The mechanism collects workload metrics for each of multiple queries and their associated executable action sets. Performance degradation occurs when the current executed action set is no longer appropriate for the corresponding query such that more resources are used than are necessary. For each query, the system determines whether to perform degradation analysis of the current executable action set in a manner that is workload aware. That is, queries that occupy more computing resources or that impact the overall workload more will tend to have degradation analysis performed more frequently than those queries that have less impact on the overall workload. This results in improved resource usage for the workload with low overhead.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive a vehicle diagnostic report from a vehicle. The processor is also configured to determine that additional information is required to diagnose a problem indicated by the report. The processor is further configured to compile instructions for a user to gather the additional information and send the instructions to the vehicle in response to determining the additional information is required.