Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for repairing soft tissue. The surgical system allows for the creation of tissue repair by grasping, aligning and sewing or fixing tissue. For example, this system may be used for clipping together excessive capsular tissue and reducing the overall capsular volume. The deployment device includes a central grasping mechanism and an outer clip delivery system. The clip embodiments may be single or multi-component (penetration and locking base components) that penetrate tissue layers and deploy or lock to clip the tissue together. An example of the system is used to reduce the joint capsule tissue laxity and reduces the potential for subluxation or dislocation of the joint by either restricting inferior laxity (anterior or posterior) and resolving or eliminating pathologic anterior or posterior translation.

Abstract: Mobile water heating systems for producing hot water are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a mobile water heating system includes a water heater having an oval-cylindrical shape. The water heater includes a shell, a lid and a water reservoir having a screen. A first heating coil and a second heating coil can extend between the screen and a first cone and a second cone, respectively. A first burner and a second burner can be configured to mix and combust fuel and air and direct the resulting flames through the heating coils. Pall rings can at least partially fill an interior volume of the water heater and the combustion of the fuel and air can heat the heating coils and the pall rings. Water can be heated by being directed through the heating coils and through a water manifold positioned to spray water on the pall rings.

Abstract: Gravity resetting range targets include rotatable target plates that rotate around a rotation axis extending through a fixed target body. The rotatable target plates rotate 360 degrees around the rotation axis and through a target plate aperture of the fixed target body, resetting to a ready position using gravity forces acting on the weight of the rotatable target plates. High visibility hit indicators include long-range hit indicators rotatably mounted to the fixed target body opposite the rotatable target plate such that the long-range hit indicator rotates around the rotation axis substantially 180 degrees from the rotatable target plate. The rotatable target plates are cut from the fixed target bodies within a single piece of material and remain connected via tabs until assembly is desired.

Abstract: An on-board electrical system for motor vehicles has a battery, a generator and at least one normal consumer that is connected to the battery in a switchable manner. A DC voltage/DC voltage converter is connected on its primary side to the battery and on its secondary side to a high-load resistor. A switch connects the high-load consumer to a storage device in a first switching position, and to the primary side in a second switching position. A controller controls and operates the switch between the first and the second switching position. A device that detects the actual electrical power of the high-load consumer is associated with the high-load consumer, and is connected at the output end to the controller.

Abstract: A lock is provided, the lock having: a lock mechanism having a first member and a second member, the first member and the second member each being slidably mounted to a housing of the combination lock, wherein the first member is capable of movement between a first position and a second position and the second member is capable of movement between a first position and a second position and wherein movement of the first member from the first position to the second position causes the second member to move from the first position to the second position; a bolt configured for movement between a locking position and an unlocking position, the bolt preventing the second member from moving from the second position to the first position when the bolt is in the locking position.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing coupons in a point of sale terminal includes receiving electronic coupon data representing a machine-readable coupon code. The coupon code is associated with a coupon presented by a customer at a retail point of sale. The method further includes receiving electronic coupon validation data representing at least one valid coupon code and/or at least one fraudulent coupon code. The method further comprises determining whether the coupon is valid based on the coupon code and the valid coupon code(s) and/or the fraudulent coupon code(s), and identifying the coupon as accepted or invalid based on the determination of whether the coupon is valid.

Abstract: An access control device according to one embodiment includes an access control mechanism, a housing, an antenna array secured within the housing and including a first, second, and third antenna adapted to radiate away from the exterior side of the door, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes a plurality of instructions that, when executed, causes the access control device to determine signal strengths of signals received by the first, second, and third antennas from the mobile device, determine whether a location of the mobile device relative to the access control device is indicative of the mobile device user's intent to access the passageway based on the signal strengths, and automatically unlock the access control mechanism in response to the location being indicative of the user's intent to access the passageway.

Abstract: Methods and systems for using voice (e.g., voice commands) to control a plurality of network devices via a motion sensing control device are provided. A control device can detect movement (e.g., a gesture) associated with the control device. Based on the movement satisfying a predefined condition, the control device can initiate a either a direct or a proxy communication session with a remote computing device. The communication session can be established and maintained for a predefined period such that data associated with a command can be immediately transmitted to the remote computing device. Thus, when a voice command is received, data associated with the command can be transmitted over the already established communication session to the remote computing device. The remote computing device can provide a response to the control device and/or transmit a command code associated with the voice command to one or more devices intended to be controlled.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for a fuel system in an engine comprising two lift pumps. One example method comprises deactivating one of a first lift pump and a second lift pump if fuel fill level in a common reservoir decreases below a threshold fill level, wherein the first lift pump and the second lift pump are positioned in the common reservoir. By deactivating one of the two lift pumps, the two lift pumps may be protected from degradation due to fuel starvation.

Abstract: The disclosure details the implementation of an apparatus, method, and system for a macroeconomic equity investment design and trade system (the Wavefront system). The disclosure teaches a set of quantitative tools to help investors design trades around macro themes. Part of the approach is a linked set of models called Wavefronts, which describe how economic shocks ripple through the economy into company performance, market value and equity returns in the US market. In one embodiment, the modeling may be viewed as having in three parts. The first converts an economic shock into a comprehensive set of shifts in the economy. The second takes those economic shifts and drives them into company fundamentals. The third values those fundamentals based on what the market normally pays.

Abstract: The compression system comprises a main fluid inlet adapted to receive a production stream of natural gas; first and second stage scrubbers; first and second compression units; first and second heat exchange units; one or more liquid dump containers; and an engine. The engine operates within a range of 1600-2100 revolutions per minute and the compressed gas comprises a pressure within a range of 360-600 pounds per square inch. The system comprises a weight to thousand cubic feet of gas per day ratio of less than twenty.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for maintaining cache coherency may include (1) receiving an indication of a revocation of a grant to an owner node of a shared lock for a data object owned by the owner node; (2) invalidating, in response to the indication of the revocation, a copy of the object in a local cache of the owner node; (3) receiving, while the requesting node holds a grant of an exclusive lock, a request from the requesting node to update the object in the local cache; (4) transmitting, in response to the request to update the object, a request for a shared lock for the object; (5) receiving an indication of a grant of the shared lock; and (6) updating, in response to the grant of the shared lock, the object in the local cache. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A technique is described herein for using a parent computing device and at least one companion computing device to simultaneously interact with an environment. In one implementation, the parent computing device progressively builds parent map information through its interaction with the environment. The technique leverages the parent map information to identify a current pose of the companion computing device. In one case, for instance, the parent computing device sends the parent map information to the companion computing device, and the companion computing device determines its current pose based on the parent map information in conjunction with sensor information collected by the companion computing device.

Abstract: An energy harvester for use in-line with a pipe to harness potential and kinetic energy of fluids flowing therein. Structure for the energy harvester may include a shaft and a blade extending radially therefrom. The shaft can penetrate a housing that operates as a pipe section to install the device in-line with pipe. The shaft can couple with an electrical generator. A load may connect with voltage terminals on the generator so that fluid impinging on the blades will rotate the generator to power the load, effectively harvesting power from the flowing fluid. In one implementation, a load control device that couples with the generator voltage terminals controls a pressure characteristic of the fluid, such as pressure drop, by applying an electrical load on the generator and controllably impeding rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein provide a method of consistently presenting a visible portion of a rendering surface on multiple user devices. The method includes obtaining, at a user device from a remote storage server, content relating to an electronic document stored on the remote storage server, and then determining layout parameters of the content. The layout parameters define a consistent layout on a virtual rendering surface for the content of the electronic document across multiple user devices having different dimensions of display areas. The method further includes obtaining, via a user interface at the user device, a user indication indicative of a visible portion of the electronic document to be displayed via the user interface. The method further includes determining rendering parameters to render the visible portion at the user interface, and rendering the visible portion via the user interface on the user device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for delivering content. A method includes: identifying a webview; providing a script for execution when the webview is initiated, the script causing a device associated with the webview to retrieve a unique identifier associated with the device, encode the unique identifier, construct a URL that includes an advertising system domain and the encoded unique identifier, and pass the encoded unique identifier to the advertising system; passing a cookie for the advertising domain back to the webview for inclusion in the cookie space of the webview; storing information related to interactions of a user of the device when accessing content through different browsers or applications so as to unify the cookie spaces of the different browsers; identifying a request for content as being associated with the device; and using the information to determine content for delivery.

Abstract: In conventional optical receivers the dynamic range is obtained by using variable gain amplifiers (VGA) with a fixed trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) gain. To overcome the SNR problems inherent in conventional receivers an improved optical receiver comprises an automatic gain control loop for generating at least one gain control signal for controlling gain of both the VGA and the TIA. Ideally, both the resistance and the gain of the TIA are controlled by a gain control signal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are described herein that enable files, such as source code files used in building executable code, to be synchronized between two computing devices in a manner that utilizes file anchors or other time-stamped objects generated by and stored on each computing device. The file anchors can be used to determine which source code files on each computing device have been updated since a prior synchronization with another computing device and also to determine which version of a source code file stored on each computing device is the newer version, even when both computing devices have a different notion of time.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for an optical beam-steering device that includes an optical transmitter and/or receiver to transmit and/or receive optical radiation from an optically reflective surface. An array of adjustable plasmonic resonant waveguides is arranged on the surface with inter-element spacings less than an optical operating wavelength. A controller applies a pattern of voltage differentials to the adjustable plasmonic resonant waveguides. The pattern of voltage differentials corresponds to a sub-wavelength reflection phase pattern for reflecting the optical electromagnetic radiation. One embodiment of an adjustable plasmonic resonant waveguide includes first and second metal rails extending from the surface. The metal rails are spaced from one another to form channel therebetween. An electrically-adjustable dielectric is disposed within the channel.

Abstract: This disclosure describes screening a population of transgenic plants derived from plant cells transformed with recombinant DNA for expression of proteins with homeobox domains to identify plant cells of specific transgenic events that are useful for imparting enhanced traits to transgenic crop plants. Traits include enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, increased yield, enhanced water use efficiency, enhanced tolerance to cold stress and/or improved seed compositions. Also disclosed are transgenic seeds for growing a transgenic plant having the recombinant DNA in its genome and exhibiting the screened enhance trait. Also disclosed are methods for generating seed and plants based on the transgenic events.