Abstract: A battery system includes: two battery modules, each including three strings of battery cells that are configured to, at different times be: connected in series and to a first positive terminal via first ones of switches; connected in parallel and to a second positive terminal via second ones of the switches; and disconnected from both of the first and second positive terminals; and a switch control module configured to: determine state of charges (SOCs) of the strings, respectively; determine periods of phases, respectively, based on the SOCs; determine first periods for connecting ones of the strings in parallel; divide one of the phases into N equal length periods; selectively decrease N; when a number of the first periods that end closest to one of N period endings is at least a predetermined value, adjust the first periods to the respective closest ones of the N period endings.

Abstract: An electric machine grounding system with low impedance includes a rotor that has a shaft assembly and that is configured to rotate about an axis. The shaft assembly has a surface. A housing supports the shaft assembly for rotation of the rotor. A holder extends from the housing. A ground assembly is held between the holder and the shaft assembly and includes a plurality of strands that extend to the surface to ground the shaft assembly to the housing.

Abstract: A method and device for analysis of sampled physiological parameters according to at least a second-order process over time, e.g., second-order differential equation or model, for use in therapeutic, diagnostic, or predictive health applications. The system may generate an alert regarding a present or predicted health abnormality. The biometric device may be implantable, wearable, contact or non-contact, and may communicate through a network, to send an alert. The system may further comprise an actuator or therapeutic device to perform an action based on the at least second-order process.

Abstract: An exemplary method for monitoring a package on a conveyor may include emitting a plurality of infrared beams, detecting one or more of the emitted infrared beams, calculating a package height using the detected infrared beams, determining whether the package height exceeds a predetermined threshold, and when the package height meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, sending a signal indicating a height of the package exceeds the predetermined threshold. A package size detector may include a transmitter including a plurality of light sources and positioned on a first side of a conveyor, and a receiver positioned on a second, opposite side of the conveyor, including a plurality of light sensors, each of the plurality of light sensors being configured to detect light emitted from the plurality of light sources. A controller may be configured to determine whether a package height exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A universal prop system for grid shoring provides increased versatility and cost effectiveness over conventional grid shoring systems for building construction, such as concrete parking garage construction. The universal props include a variety of interchangeable prop stands, interchangeable drop heads, and interchangeable stringer jacks with a variety of different types of stringer heads. The interchangeable drop heads interconnects the interchangeable stringer jacks with the interchangeable prop stands. The interchangeable drop heads are designed to support a variety of different types of rails, such as beams, joists, rafters, pipes, etc. The interchangeable stringer jacks include a number of different stringer heads configured to support a variety of different stringers. The different stringer heads include, for example, U-heads, spindle forks and jack plates, with and without detachable threaded shafts.

Abstract: The present teaching relates to tracking an event at a plurality of distributed servers. In one example, an event to be tracked is determined. A user associated with the event is identified. A script is generated to be embedded in a web page. The script triggers an event message when the user performs an online behavior related to the web page in accordance with the event. The event message triggered by the script is received. A tracing flag is determined from the event message. An instruction is provided to the plurality of distributed servers for executing one or more applications based on the event and the tracing flag.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to integrating blockchain functions with external systems using a variable non-fungible token. A variable non-fungible token comprises a non-fungible token that is minted with an indication of a non-transferable ownership wallet (e.g., a digital wallet for which the non-fungible token is minted for), a non-transferable smart contract address that has permissions for updating metadata for the variable non-fungible token, and a metadata property threshold based on a specific user corresponding to the digital wallet.

Abstract: The disclosure features a bicycle rack and pannier system, a bicycle rack, and a bicycle accessory that can be used to mount the bicycle rack to a bicycle. The system comprises (a) a pannier comprising a bag having a back wall and a locking mechanism extending from the back wall, and (b) a rack configured to be mounted generally vertically on a portion of a bicycle, the rack including a rack body having a keyed opening configured to receive a portion of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is mounted on the bag to be pivotable between an open position, in which the portion of the locking mechanism can be inserted into or removed from the keyed opening, and at least one locked position, in which the portion abuts a surface of the rack body preventing removal of the portion of the locking mechanism.

Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for recovering a high purity carbon dioxide stream. A first separation zone that may include a cryogenic fractionation column provides the high-purity CO2 stream. A vapor stream from the cryogenic fractionation column is passed to a second separation zone to separate the CO2 from the other components. The second separation zone may include a pressure swing adsorption unit or a solvent separation unit. The second separation zone provides a hydrogen enriched gas stream that may be used in a gas turbine. The second stream from the second separation zone includes carbon dioxide and, after a pressure increase in a compressor, may be recycled to the first separation zone.

Abstract: Solutions for evaluating source code generators use offline and online evaluation stages. Offline evaluation includes separating each of a plurality of input passages of software code into a plurality of constituent blocks. Each code generator (of a plurality of code generators) generates an equivalent block corresponding to each constituent block. A coding score is determined for each equivalent block (for each code generator), and the coding scores are aggregated across the equivalent blocks to provide an aggregate score for each code generator. A ranking of the aggregate scores is used to down-select to a fewer number of code generators for online evaluation. For this stage, the code generators output passages of software code, and user acceptance of the code generators' outputs may be used for further ranking and down-selection. Some examples weight the coding score according to a code utility estimate of the constituent blocks for which equivalent blocks are generated.

Abstract: The generation of a response to a task prompt that represents a task to perform on declarative code. The response is generated with the aid of a language model that was trained on imperative code. The declarative code includes declarations about data. A task prompt represents a task to perform on the declarative code. At least a portion of the declarative code and at least a portion of the task prompt are converted into input imperative code. The input imperative code is then caused to be provided as input to the language model, resulting in the language model generating output imperative code. At least a portion of the output imperative code is then converted into a response to the task prompt.

Abstract: A urine collection and storage system has a urinal and a remote collection bag interconnected by a tube. An intermediate coupler in the tube and adjacent to the urinal bifurcates the tube into separable proximal and distal portions. The proximal portion of the tube is shorter and stiffer while the distal portion of the tube is longer length and less stiff to provide both flexibility and resist kinking. The collection bag can have a pair of layers joined together about substantially a perimeter with a double seal including an outer seal adjacent the perimeter and an inner seal spaced-apart from the outer seal. A plurality of different reusable urine collection and storage kits can be provided with different urinals adapted for individuals.

Abstract: An example outdoor mounted device includes a first battery configured to operate at a low temperature range that at least includes negative 20 Celsius; a second battery configured to operate at a high temperature range; a temperature sensor; and processing circuitry configured to: determine, based on data received from the temperature sensors, a current temperature; responsive to determining that the current temperature is within the low temperature range, cause one or more components of the computing device to operate using electrical energy sourced from the first battery; and responsive to determining that the current temperature is within the high temperature range, cause the one or more components of the computing device to operate using electrical energy sourced from the second battery.

Abstract: A system for measuring a satellite ghost efficiency of a diffractive lens is provided. The system includes a light source configured to output a first probing beam, and a beam tweaking assembly disposed between the light source and the diffractive lens, and configured to convert the first probing beam into a second probing beam that is a non-collimated beam. The diffractive lens diffracts the second probing beam into a plurality of diffracted beams including a first diffracted beam of a parent diffraction order and a second diffracted beam of a satellite ghost diffraction order. The beam tweaking assembly includes one or more optical lenses, and an adjustable optical power. The system also includes a detector configured to generate a beam spot pattern including a first beam spot corresponding to the first diffracted beam and a second beam spot corresponding to the second diffracted beam.

Abstract: In some implementations, a redundancy system may receive, from a log storage, a plurality of log files that were generated by a plurality of monitoring programs. The redundancy system may apply a machine learning model to the plurality of log files to detect one or more redundancies. The redundancy system may determine at least one monitoring program, in the plurality of monitoring programs, that is a candidate for removal based on the one or more redundancies. The redundancy system may transmit, to a ticket system, a command to open a ticket associated with the at least one monitoring program.

Abstract: A table including a record can be displayed within a graphical user interface display space. The record can include an attribute. Data characterizing a user input can be received. The user input can specify an input parameter of an entry associated with the attribute of the record. A predefined syntactical rule set can be used to parse the user input. The parsing can include determining one or more simulation attributes associated with executing a simulation. The one or more simulation attributes can be provided. The result of the executed simulation can be processed. The result of the executed simulation can be displayed within a graphical user interface display space. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor package. Implementations include forming on a die backside an intermediate metal layer having multiple sublayers, each including a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, nickel, copper, silver, and combinations thereof. A tin layer is deposited onto the intermediate metal layer and is then reflowed with a silver layer of a substrate to form an intermetallic layer having a melting temperature above 260 degrees Celsius and including an intermetallic consisting of silver and tin and/or an intermetallic consisting of copper and tin. Another method of forming a semiconductor package includes forming a bump on each of a plurality of exposed pads of a top side of a die, each exposed pad surrounded by a passivation layer, each bump including an intermediate metal layer as described above and a tin layer coupled to the intermediate metal layer is reflowed to form an intermetallic layer.

Abstract: A reaction washer can include a castellated portion circumferentially disposed around a perimeter of the reaction washer and a main body portion defining an inner diameter that slidingly receives an associated threaded element therethrough. The castellated portion can include a plurality of castellations that cooperate to define an outer diameter of the reaction washer. Further, the main body can include a first side and a second side that face in opposite directions and an inner engagement ring that extends from the first side and is coaxially disposed between the inner diameter and the castellated portion. The inner engagement ring can include a plurality of serrations that each define a respective serration axis that do not intersect with the engagement axis.

Abstract: Coherent optical communications technology for recovery of 1D and 2D formatted optical signals. For example, 1D or 2D formatted signals that travel through fiber optic media may be recovered by separating the light into X- and Y-polarization components, rotating one polarization component (e.g., Y-component) into the polarization space of the other component (e.g., Y-component into the X-polarization space), delaying the rotated component enough to avoid destructive interference and combining the delayed component with the undelayed component to form a folded optical signal, which may then be processed as a X-polarized signal.

Abstract: A method and system for dispersing stored energy in an energy storage system to delay or arrest propagation of thermal runaway and thermally-induced cascading failures. The system includes a plurality of battery sub-assemblies and DC-DC converters connected to a shared DC bus through which energy may be exchanged. The system may be interfaced to an AC power grid or DC power system through an additional power converter. The method of dispersing stored energy uses this system to charge and discharge sub-assemblies such that the system is less susceptible to propagation of thermal runaway. The method determines, based on awareness of current system state, battery types, and electrical and thermal structure, the sequence of charging and discharging actions to best inhibit thermal runaway while preserving the system's ability to perform subsequent energy redistribution.