Abstract: A smoking device can include a tube with an axis, a proximal end, a distal end and a restriction located between the proximal and distal ends. A combustion space is located axially inside the tube between the restriction and the distal end. The combustion space can contain a combustion product. In addition, a sleeve can be removably mounted to an exterior of the tube. The sleeve can be formed from an elastic material and have a storage configuration that can completely encapsulate both the proximal end and the distal end of the tube to seal the tube. The sleeve also can have a use configuration mounted to the proximal end of the tube, and removed from the distal end of the tube to allow air flow through the tube and the sleeve.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a battery housing, a plurality of batteries, and a door step. The battery housing is disposed in a floor area of the vehicle. The batteries are within the battery housing. The door step is located proximate a side of the battery housing. The door step includes an upper running board with a stepping surface and a lower bottom part that is spaced apart from the upper running board and extends parallel to the upper running board to define at least one chamber therebetween. The lower bottom part includes a central weakened area which extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is configured to permit a center region of the door step to buckle upwards in response to a lateral force greater than a predetermined threshold amount of force.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes an actuator adapted to drive movement of a valve member. The valve assembly also includes a bonnet coupled to the actuator, a valve body coupled to the bonnet, and a fluid end coupled to the valve body. The valve assembly further includes a quick connection system adapted to couple the fluid end to the valve body. The quick connection system includes a plurality of valve body lugs separated by a plurality of spaces, the plurality of valve body lugs extending radially outward from an axis. The quick connection system also includes a plurality of fluid end lugs configured to interact with the plurality of valve body lugs, the plurality of valve body lugs being arranged to axially align with the plurality of fluid end lugs to block axial movement of the fluid end with respect to the valve body.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authentication may include an authentication server. The authentication server may include a processor and a memory. The processor may be configured to receive a cryptogram associated with a first near field communication data exchange format (NDEF) read. The processor may be configured to perform a first factor authentication of the cryptogram. The processor may be configured to receive a first data set, wherein the first data set is associated with a second NDEF read. The processor may be configured to extract metadata from the first data set. The processor may be configured to perform, after the first factor authentication, a second factor authentication based on the metadata. The processor may be configured to generate a message indicative of an outcome of the second factor authentication. The processor may be configured to transmit the message that instructs the processor to effectuate one or more actions.

Abstract: A method and system for minimizing the control overhead in a multi-carrier wireless communication network that utilizes a time-frequency resource is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more zones in the time-frequency resource are designated for particular applications, such as a zone dedicated for voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications. By grouping applications of a similar type together within a zone, a reduction in the number of bits necessary for mapping a packet stream to a portion of the time-frequency resource can be achieved. In some embodiments, modular coding schemes associated with the packet streams may be selected that further reduce the amount of necessary control information. In some embodiments, packets may be classified for transmission in accordance with application type, QoS parameters, and other properties. In some embodiments, improved control messages may be constructed to facilitate the control process and minimize associated overhead.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a technical solution related to establishing a characterized chatbot with personality. On one hand, a corpus database matched with a specific character may be established, and a generated regular/conventional response messages may be converted into a characterized response messages with character's features during conversation, so that the conversation style of a chatbot may be characterized with a certain character's features. On the other hand, a chatbot may select a response message with a specific emotion by using an emotion conversation table corresponding to a personality when generating the response message against a content of a conversation input by a user, so that a chatbot may be characterized and have certain personality.

Abstract: A connector which couples to an outlet conduit to decrease an outlet conduit passageway pressure differential between outlet conduit opposing first and second ends, whereby the connector includes a mixing chamber having a first inlet port in fluidic communication with a connector first open end and the mixing chamber; an outlet port in fluidic communication with the mixing chamber and a connector second open end; and a second inlet port in fluidic communication with the connector second open end and the mixing chamber. Additionally, a connector including a connector internal surface defining a connector passageway which communicates between connector first and second open ends; and a sensor module operatively coupled to the connector passageway to sense a parameter of a first fluid flowing in a first fluid flow path through the connector passageway.

Abstract: A communication system includes multiple nodes of a time-sensitive network and a scheduler device. At least one of the nodes is configured to obtain a first signal that is represented in a frequency domain by multiple frequency components. The scheduler device generates a schedule for transmission of signals including the first signal within the time-sensitive network. The schedule defines multiple slots assigned to different discrete frequency sub-bands within a frequency band. The slots have designated transmission intervals. The nodes are configured to transmit the first signal through the time-sensitive network to a listening device such that the first signal is received at the listening device within a designated time window according to the schedule. At least some of the frequency components of the first signal are transmitted through the time-sensitive network within different slots of the schedule based on the frequency sub-bands assigned to the slots.

Abstract: A system to couple an implement to a work vehicle includes a first lock assembly coupled to an arm of the work vehicle. The first lock assembly includes a latch. The first lock assembly also includes a first hook and a second hook positioned on opposite lateral sides of the latch. The first lock assembly further includes a first actuator configured to drive rotation of the latch to trap a laterally-extending bar of the implement between a curved inner surface of the latch and respective curved bar-contacting surfaces of the first and second hooks to form a first connection that couples the implement to the work vehicle.

Abstract: A provider, such as a transportation management service, can manage transport for a number of riders between various locations. A customer can request transport between different locations. The provider may analyze the request for salient information, such as information corresponding to a start and end location, and determine whether there are errors in the salient information that would prevent the provider from providing the requested service. When the provider detects errors, the provider may request additional information from the customer in order to correct the errors.

Abstract: An environment includes at least two network devices and a plurality of downstream devices or networks. The downstream devices or networks are communicatively coupled to network interfaces of the network devices using a plurality of data cables. The data cables each comprise a switch device configured to switch communication paths to the coupled network devices. Each of the data cables communicatively couple each of the network devices to one of the plurality of downstream devices or networks so that each of the downstream devices or networks has a communications path to each of the network devices and a switchable communications path from each of the network devices. The network devices do not arbitrate active/passive status via direct communication. Based on data contained in a reply packet indicating that a request packet sent by the first network device was acknowledged, the first network device determines that the first network device is an active network device.

Abstract: A method of point cloud geometry encoding includes receiving a slice of a point cloud frame for encoding, and constructing an octree representing a geometry of points in a bounding box of the slice where a current node of the octree is partitioned with a quadtree (QT) partition or a binary tree (BT) partition. The constructing includes determining a value of a partitionSkip variable specifying a partition type and a partition direction of the current node of the octree.

Abstract: A system comprises data processing hardware and memory hardware. The memory hardware is in communication with the data processing hardware, and stores instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform a plurality of operations. In some examples, one of the operations may include receiving instance management configuration data for a single-tenant software-as-a-service (SaaS) application. Another operation may include further include receiving an image of the single-tenant SaaS application. Yet another operation can include generating, by the control plane manager, a control plane based on the instance management configuration data. The control plane is configured to create multiple instances of the single-tenant SaaS application based on the received image, and to manage the instances of the single-tenant SaaS application based on the received instance management configuration data.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a coating composition including a pectin and a non-glycerol sugar alcohol. The pectin can be present in an amount by weight of at least 30.0% and at most 50.0%. The non-glycerol sugar alcohol can be present in an amount by weight of at least 10.0%) and at most 40.0%. The pectin can be present in a ratio of at least 1:1 and at most 5:1 relative to the non-glyercol sugar alcohol. The present disclosure also provides coating suspensions, coatings, and coated substrates related to the coating composition. The present disclosure also provides methods of making and using the coating compositions.

Abstract: A roof tile comprising a ceramic body and a reinforcing element attached to a lower surface of the ceramic body.

Abstract: A power system includes a turbine assembly including a turbine and a turbine shaft, a generator assembly including a generator and a generator shaft, an inertia assembly including a flywheel coupled to the generator shaft, and a clutch assembly for coupling the turbine shaft to the generator shaft. The clutch assembly is transitionable between a closed state, in which the turbine shaft is coupled to the generator shaft, and an open state, in which the turbine shaft is decoupled from the generator shaft. The power system is operable in a power generation mode when the clutch assembly is in the closed state and a synchronous condenser mode when the clutch assembly is in the open state.

Abstract: A method of configuring a filter to perform pattern matching against input data is provided. The method includes receiving one or more rules, each rule including one or more field specifiers, each field specifier including a value specifier that specifies a value to be matched and a location specifier that specifies a location in the input data. For each rule of the one or more rules an empty buffer is initialized. For each field specifier the value specified by the field specifier is appended to the buffer, and the buffer contents are inserted into contents of a probabilistic data structure representing all of the field specifiers of the rule. The probabilistic data structure is configured to receive a query that includes query buffer contents determined from the input data and respond with a match status of probably present based on a predetermined probability, or definitely not present.

Abstract: A plasma generator generates atmospheric pressure, low temperature plasma (cold plasma), and includes a thin plate-like first electrode defining a planar bottom surface. A thin plate-like second electrode defines a planar top surface. The second electrode opposes the first electrode, such that the bottom surface of the first electrode faces the top surface of the second electrode. A first dielectric layer is disposed on the bottom surface of the first electrode, and a second dielectric layer is disposed on the top surface of the second electrode. A spacer supports the first and second electrodes to define a predetermined gap between the first and second dielectric layers. A power supply supplies electrical power to the first and second electrodes at a predetermined voltage and frequency, such that, based on the predetermined gap between the first and second dielectric layers, cold plasma is generated.

Abstract: A method includes determining first data stored in a clipboard of an operating system, determining second data is stored in the clipboard, performing a comparison of the second data against malicious data, at least in part based on a determination that the first data has changed to the second data, and performing a first security operation, at least in part based on the comparison.