Abstract: A system and method configured for conducting a transaction between two parties using a mobile device, or a plurality of mobile devices. In various embodiments, a system for conducting a transaction can comprise an accessory device having an accessory device module and a hardware component, where the accessory device can have various accessory device capabilities. The system can further comprise a mobile device SDK incorporated into the client application and in communication with the accessory device, where the mobile device SDK includes an accessory conversion module in communication with the accessory device module and where the mobile device SDK provides data to the client application. The client application can request accessory device information and receive accessory device capabilities, and the transaction data for the transaction can be provided in a defined structure between the accessory device and the client application via the mobile device SDK.

Abstract: Disclosed are various aspects of voice skill session lifetime management. In some examples, a session extension request is received. The session extension request extends a voice skill session of a voice-activated device. A personal client device is identified based on the session extension request. A command to emit an ultrasonic pulse is transmitted to the personal client device.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first group of superconducting cavities and a second group of superconducting cavities, each of which is configured to receive multiple photons. The apparatus includes couplers, where each coupler couples one superconducting cavity from the first group with one cavity from the second group such that the photons in the coupled superconducting cavities interact. A first superconducting cavity of the first group is connected to a second superconducting cavity of the second group, such that photons of the first and second superconducting cavities are shared by each of the first and second superconducting cavities. The first superconducting cavity is coupled to at least one other superconducting cavity of the first group to which the second superconducting cavities are coupled, and the second superconducting cavity is coupled to at least one other superconducting cavity of the second group to which the first superconducting cavities are coupled.

Abstract: Clean, safe, and efficient methods, systems, and processes for utilizing thermolysis methods to processes to convert various waste sources into a Clean Fuel Gas, Char, and Biochar are provided. The process further converts the Clean Fuel Gas into both a purified hydrogen source for green ammonia production and natural gas. The methods process waste sources to effectively separate, neutralize and/or destroy halogens and other hazardous components to provide a Clean Fuel Gas, Char and/or Biochar, which can then further be processed to extract and purify hydrogen for green ammonia production from the Clean Fuel Gas and thereby provide natural gas. The Clean Fuel Gas is a natural and renewable natural gas as it is continually produced and further available for use to provide energy and new products.

Abstract: Methods of and system for growing and maintaining an optimized/ideal active yeast solution in the yeast tank and fermenter tank during the fermentation filling cycle are provided. A new yeast stage tank is used between the yeast tank and the fermenter tank allowing yeast to rapidly produce a huge amount of active young yeast cells for a fermenter during the filling period. A measurable and useful controlling factor, % DT/% Yeast by weight ratio (or “food” to yeast ratio), is used (e.g., % DT=glucose), which offers information on the health status of the yeast. The controlling factor is used to control the status of the yeast throughout the entire process.

Abstract: A management system for a multi-cell rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) is capable of wirelessly communicating with an unsecured third-party device. The management system includes a system controller that is in communication with cell monitoring units that are arranged to individually monitor the battery cells. Each cell monitoring unit includes a cell controller that is in communication with a sensor that is arranged to determine a parameter of a respective one of the battery cells of the RESS. Each of the cell controllers is configured to execute a secure wireless communication protocol, and is also configured to execute an open wireless communication protocol. The open wireless communication protocol is activated to enable non-proprietary wireless communication to a proximal third-party device in response to a trigger event.

Abstract: A system for drilling a borehole into the earth's subsurface includes a drill bit configured to rotate and penetrate through the earth's subsurface, and a vibration isolation device configured to isolate vibration that is caused at the drill bit, the vibration having an amplitude. The amplitude of the vibration downhole of the vibration isolation device is at least 20% higher than the amplitude of the vibration uphole of the vibration isolation device.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and/or device for moving or scrolling a virtual object in a virtual or augmented reality environment. The method, system, apparatus, and/or device may include: detecting, by a first sensor, a first gesture associated with selecting a first virtual object in an augmented reality environment displayed by a head-mounted display; displaying, by the head-mounted display, a first indicator indicating a selection of the first virtual object by a user; detecting, using the first sensor or a second sensor, a first movement of the head-mounted display associated with a first movement command; and in response to detecting the first movement of the head-mounted display, executing the first movement command, where the first movement command is a scrolling function to scroll text or a graphical object of the first virtual object or a movement function to move the text or the graphical object of the first virtual object.

Abstract: A method of producing vehicles includes coating a vehicle body with paint, drying the paint, mounting attachment parts on load-bearing components of the vehicle body that has been coated with the paint that has been dried, and applying an adhesive film including an adhesive layer to a surface of the vehicle body that has been coated with the paint that has been dried or at least one attachment part mounted thereon, wherein, to apply the adhesive film, the adhesive film is positioned between the surface and an elastic membrane with an automated system, and the elastic membrane is transformed in selected regions into a curved state with a convex and a concave side and is brought into contact with the surface with the convex side in front such that the adhesive layer of the adhesive film is pressed onto the surface by the membrane over the entire surface area.

Abstract: A chair-mountable screen including a screen frame defining a perimeter of the screen, at least one screen material supported by the screen frame, and a strap arrangement fastened on each of the at least one screen material. The strap arrangement is adjustably-attachable to the screen to create a selectively-sized gap between the screen material and the strap arrangement.

Abstract: In examples, a saliency metric may be determined for an instance of content and/or a location of a digital environment. Accordingly, a set of candidate content and/or locations may be ranked according to associated saliency metrics, such that content and/or an associated location with which to adapt the digital environment for a given user may be determined from a set of candidates. For example, the digital environment may be adapted to present a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional asset to a user. As another example, a game mechanic of the digital environment may be altered. In examples, content from another digital environment may be identified and used to adapt the digital environment, thereby incorporating external content. Thus, a saliency metric associated with a location or an instance of content may be used to programmatically generate a relative or absolute metric with which to evaluate and adapt aspects of the digital environment.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a novel method for managing layer four (L4) ports associated with a machine executing on a host computer. The method collects a set of contextual attributes relating to applications executing on the machine. It then analyzes the collected contextual attributes to identify at least one L4 port that has to have its status modified. Next, it modifies the status of the identified L4 port. In some embodiments, the status of an L4 port can be either open or closed, and the modification can open a closed port or close an open port. In some embodiments, the method is performed when the machine starts up on the host computer, performed each time a new application is installed on the machine, performed periodically to close unused L4 ports, and/or performed periodically to close L4 ports that should not be open based on a set of L4-port control policies.

Abstract: A method of validating a multi-party consensus over a limited connection comprising a validating device configured to transmit a query having a finite number of possible valid answers to a plurality of computing nodes via a unidirectional secure communication channel, receive a limited length string computed based on an aggregated response aggregating a plurality of responses each computed for a multi-party consensus answer to the query by each of at least some of the plurality of computing nodes using a respective secret component, compute a plurality of locally computed strings each computed based on a respective one of the finite number of possible valid answers using an aggregated secret aggregating the plurality of secret components, validate the multi-party consensus answer by comparing the received limited length string to each of the plurality of locally computed strings and initiating one or more operations according to an outcome of the validation.

Abstract: A set of headphones and audio system comprises a first set of buttons for controlling a volume level of transmitted audio to the headphones and a second set of buttons for controlling a volume level of external audio played by the headphones. The transmitted audio comprises audio received from an audio source such as an electronic device and the external audio comprises surrounding ambient noise received by a microphone coupled to the headphones. With the first set of controls and the second set of controls a user is able to adjust the volume level of the transmitted audio and the volume level of the external audio in order to listen to the transmitted audio while still interacting with the surrounding environment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of reconstructing boundaries from a computed tomography (CT) image dataset is provided. The method comprises receiving CT image data and applying a number of image filters to the CT image data. A numerical derivative is applied to the filtered CT image data to flatten and suppress non-edge regions that do not correspond to edges. Numerical derivative values are clipped to a specified range to reduce artifacts and noise, and an X-ray image is reconstructed according to the image filters and clipped numerical derivative values.

Abstract: A system for a laminated buswork with flexible conductors for an electric aircraft is presented. The system includes a plurality of electrical devices and an electrical bridging device electrically connected to each electrical device of the plurality of devices. The electrical bridging device includes a laminated busbar and a plurality of flexible contactors, wherein each flexible contactor is configured to attach the laminated busbar to each electrical device of the plurality of electrical devices, apply pressure to each electrical device as a function of at least a spring, and provide electrical connection to the electric aircraft as a function of the tension of the at least a spring.

Abstract: A paper towel product having machine direction and cross-machine direction perforations that will capably separate the paper towel roll as full sheets, half sheets, or quarter sheets, and a method of making the same.

Abstract: Various examples of improving an in-memory graph query engine using a persisted storage component are provided. The method includes updating data stored in an in-memory graph query engine and, based on updating the data, converting the data to a plain text form that may be more efficiently stored in the persistent storage component. The method further includes updates to additional in-memory graph query engines from the persistent storage component such that in-memory data stored in the graph query engines is synchronized.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) imaging system may include a semiconductor device based on single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). The LIDAR imaging system may also include a light source configured to emit light such that the semiconductor device is exposed to both ambient light and a reflected version of the laser light. Ambient light level detection circuitry may be included to determine a brightness of the ambient light based on an output signal from the semiconductor device. The ambient light level detection circuitry may include a plurality of comparators that receive different reference signals and are coupled to respective counters. The results from the counters may be used to determine the brightness of the ambient light in the scene. The determined brightness may then be used to discriminate between the ambient light and the reflected version of the light.