Abstract: A storage system includes a rack with a plurality of layers, each layer including an aisle and a plurality of rows extending from the aisle defining storage locations for items. A shuttle usable with the rack includes a first cart movable along the aisle and a second cart configured to be carriable by the first cart and to be movable along a row. The second cart is configured to carry an item between the first cart and the storage locations. A conveyor is located on one of the first or second carts to move the item onto or off the first cart. Related methods of storing and/or retrieving items from a rack are also disclosed. A rack system is disclosed and is readily assembled without welding, transferring loading so that the weight of the rack and any item stored therein is supported by the upright elements via support brackets.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to determining a composite precoder for transmitting to a UE using a group of one or more of the radio units by doing the following: for each of a plurality of subsets of the radio units, transmitting separate reference signals from the different antennas of only the radio units included in that subset; receiving subset-specific preferred precoder index reports from the UE for at least each individual radio unit included in the group of one or more of the radio units; determining the composite precoder for the UE using the subset-specific preferred precoder index reports from the UE for at least the one or more radio units included in the group; and using the composite precoder for transmitting to the UE using the one or more radio units included in the group. In some embodiments, each of the subsets includes less than all of the radio units.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the composition and production of an engineered degradable metal matrix composite that is useful in constructing temporary systems requiring wear resistance, high hardness, and/or high resistance to deformation in water-bearing applications such as, but not limited to, oil and gas completion operations.

Abstract: Rolling assembly for packaging web material in a roll having a base member with concave arcuate feed surface defining an upwardly-extending ramp, first intermediate member movably coupled to base member, and top member moveably coupled to at least one of base member or first intermediate member, top member having a concave arcuate pressure surface facing feed surface of base member. The base member, first intermediate member and top member collectively forming an iris with a feed space, the iris moveable between a first condition and a second condition, and configured to receive web material along the feed surface and direct the web material upwardly toward the top member to form a roll within the feed space, the iris moving toward a second condition as the roll of web material increases in cross dimension against the pressure surface of the top member.

Abstract: Systems and methods of modeling the structure and behavior of the quantum continuum based on geometrical principles are provided. In some embodiments, systems and methods of modeling quantum structure and behavior may include modeling a region of space as a three-dimensional projection of a field of N-dimensional hard-spheres, modeling a stable particle within the region of space as a locally stably packed set of hard-spheres, defining an energy subspace comprising one or more additional dimensions, and modeling an energy of the stable particle as an amount of hard-sphere geometry shifted out of the three spatial dimensions into the energy subspace sufficient for the set of hard-spheres to pack stably. Systems and methods for modeling virtual particles and performing quantum communication are also described.

Abstract: A shelter system is shown and described. A hub for a shelter system is shown and described. A frame for a shelter system is shown and described. In one embodiment, the shelter system includes a frame, a cover and a hub. The frame may be collapsible. The cover is configured to fit with the frame. The hub may include a receiver slot, a receiver sleeve and an attachment projection. The result is a shelter system with reduced set up time, effort and requirements and improved strength and ease of use. The inventions may also be considered a shelter kit and/or a shelter and hub method.

Abstract: A modular pyrotechnic launch unit includes a launch module, a first module, and a second module. The launch module includes a launch barrel. The first module is coupled in series to the launch module. The first module includes a first ignition state in which the first module ignites a pyrotechnic element that will then pass through the launch barrel. The first module also includes a first pass-through state in which the first module allows a pyrotechnic element ignited by another module to pass through the first module. The second module is coupled in series to the first module. The second module includes a second ignition state in which the second module ignites a pyrotechnic element that will then pass through the first module and through the launch barrel.

Abstract: A base system for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a frame configured to support a housing of the HVAC system, where the frame includes a base rail configured to define a portion of a perimeter of the frame. The base rail includes a base segment configured to be disposed on a curb in an installed configuration of the HVAC system, an external wall extending from the base segment, a top segment extending from the external wall, an internal wall extending from the top segment, and a recessed flange extending from the internal wall and away from the external wall.

Abstract: Techniques and tools for encoding enhancement layer video with quantization that varies spatially and/or between color channels are presented, along with corresponding decoding techniques and tools. For example, an encoding tool determines whether quantization varies spatially over a picture, and the tool also determines whether quantization varies between color channels in the picture. The tool signals quantization parameters for macroblocks in the picture in an encoded bit stream. In some implementations, to signal the quantization parameters, the tool predicts the quantization parameters, and the quantization parameters are signaled with reference to the predicted quantization parameters. A decoding tool receives the encoded bit stream, predicts the quantization parameters, and uses the signaled information to determine the quantization parameters for the macroblocks of the enhancement layer video. The decoding tool performs inverse quantization that can vary spatially and/or between color channels.

Abstract: A cloud computing capacity management system can include a fine-grained admission control layer, a policy engine, and an enforcement layer. The fine-grained admission control layer can be configured to ingest capacity signals and create a capacity mitigation policy, based at least in part on the capacity signals, to protect available capacity of a cloud computing system for prioritized users. The capacity mitigation policy can be directed to users of the cloud computing system. The policy engine can be configured to control how the capacity mitigation policy is applied to the cloud computing system. The enforcement layer can be configured to handle incoming resource requests and to enforce resource limits based on the capacity mitigation policy as applied by the policy engine.

Abstract: An apparatus includes, among other things, a support configured to be connected to a power source and at least one rigid panel attached to the support. The at least one rigid panel is moveable between a deployed position and a stowed position. At least one exciter is supported on the at least one rigid panel and is configured to selectively generate sound when powered by the power source.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices for removing energy and fluid from body fluid containing spaces and surfaces of a mammal, and new uses for such devices, including fluid removal, energy removal, increasing metabolic rate; promoting weight loss; preventing esophageal burn-through, reducing beta-amylase accumulation in the brain, delaying or inhibiting the onset of Alzheimer's and other senile dementia.

Abstract: High surface area coatings are applied to solid substrates to increase the surface area available for solid-phase synthesis of polymers. The high surface area coatings use three-dimensional space to provide more area for functional groups to bind polymers than an untreated solid substrate. The polymers may be oligonucleotides, polypeptides, or another type of polymer. The solid substrate is a rigid supportive layer made from a material such as glass, a silicon material, a metal material, and plastic. The coating may be thin films, hydrogels, microparticles. The coating may be made from a metal oxide, a high-? dielectric, a low-? dielectric, an etched metal, a carbon material, or an organic polymer. The functional groups may be hydroxyl groups, amine groups, thiolate groups, alkenes, n-alkenes, alkalines, N-Hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-activated esters, polyaniline, aminosilane groups, silanized oxides, oligothiophenes, and diazonium compounds.

Abstract: A robotic fastening system is operative to autonomously fasten a first subassembly to a second subassembly at a plurality of fastening sites. A set of actuators arranged to move a fastening tool to the various ones of the fastening sites. A proximity sensor is fixed proximate the fastening tool and movable with the fastening tool. A controller circuit is operative to individually control each of the set of actuators and to read an output of the proximity sensor, where the controller circuit is programmed to execute a fastening-tool movement routine to move the fastening tool to a first one of the fastening sites.

Abstract: Compounds of the present application or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof are capable of interacting with and attenuating the activity of a stimulator of interferon genes (STING) protein. In an embodiment of the invention, antagonist compounds bind to STING protein and attenuate STING downstream signaling. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods involving such compounds as STING modulators are additionally provided herein.

Abstract: A system for bypassing a torque converter in a powertrain is provided. The system includes a torque generating device including an output shaft and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes a transmission output shaft and a torque converter, a torque converter bypass shaft. The transmission assembly further includes a disconnect clutch selectively coupling the torque converter with the torque generating device and a torque converter clutch selectively coupling the torque converter bypass shaft with the torque generating device. Engaging the disconnect clutch and disengaging the torque converter clutch enables the torque generating device to transmit torque to the transmission output shaft through the torque converter. Engaging the torque converter clutch and disengaging the disconnect clutch enables the torque generating device to transmit torque to the transmission output shaft through the torque converter bypass shaft.

Abstract: Provided is a battery module and battery rack having enhanced fire safety features. The battery module includes a swelling/pressure sensor that detects swelling of a battery cell. An output signal of the sensor is used to halt operation of a battery rack/battery system containing the battery module and prevent charging and discharging of the battery module. In an embodiment, the battery module uses an AC-to-AC power supply to provide AC frequency power for balancing battery cells of the battery module. In an embodiment, the battery rack includes an internal water fire suppression system that provides battery cooling in the event of a battery cell fire to prevent the spread and/or reigniting of the fire.

Abstract: The technology relates to keeping sensors of a perception system optically clear and free from condensation. A transparent film, such as Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), acts as a moisture sensor that covers the optical area of interest. When a measured value of the moisture sensor meets a certain threshold that indicates the presence of condensate, power is applied to the sensor, turning it into a heater. When the measured value no longer meets the threshold, power is removed and heating ceases. The ITO layer may be lithographically applied to a glass sensor cover or other window, with interleaved sections of material that are spaced closely to detect a minimum amount of condensate. This arrangement enables the system to be employed in sensor assemblies at various locations along a self-driving vehicle, and can be used with different types of sensors such as lidar sensors, cameras and other imaging devices.

Abstract: A head top has a frame for mounting on a user's head. The frame has a viewing opening for a user to see out of the frame. A shield is mounted to the frame, and can be moved between a open and closed positions. A pivot arm connects the shield to the frame and is mounted to the inside of both the frame and shield to avoid exposure. An outer mount and inner mount can also be provided to automatically adjust the width of the head top. A hinge connects them allowing the inner mount to laterally pivot with respect to the outer mount to accommodate users with different head sizes. A forehead member also adjusts to a user's forehead.

Abstract: A system and method for making categorized music tracks available to end user applications. The tracks may be categorized based on computer-derived rhythm, texture and pitch (RTP) scores for tracks derived from high-level acoustic attributes, which is based on low level data extracted from the tracks. RTP scores are stored in a universal database common to all of the music publishers so that the same track, once RTP scored, does not need to be re-RTP scored by other music publishers. End user applications access an API server to import collections of tracks published by publishers, to create playlists and initiate music streaming. Each end user application is sponsored by a single music publisher so that only tracks capable of being streamed by the music publisher are available to the sponsored end user application.