Abstract: Described herein is a device that will restrict the radiant heat from transferring all around a patio heater and instead will effectively focus, deflect and/or reflect radiant and convective heat from a patio heater toward a desired direction. By focusing the heat toward one direction, heat is not lost to the unoccupied direction where no persons are lounging. Rather, more of the heat is directed toward the people and thus the heater operates more efficiently.

Abstract: Polymeric tubing, for use with catheters or other medical devices, where the polymeric tubing can have regions of customized properties including, but not limited to, durometer, torque control, flexibility, axial strength, stiffness, etc. One variation of the device allows for transitions between regions to be configured such that there can be gradual or customized transitions between various regions such that the structural characteristics differential between the regions selectively designed. Additional variations include outer layers having a plurality of material sections extending in a spiral direction along the axial length to form a continuous wall of the outer layer. In certain variations, the structural characteristic differential is minimized or eliminated as compared to conventional catheters.

Abstract: A modular fluid collection system. The fluid collection system comprises a plurality of modular fluid collectors. Each modular fluid collector comprises a geocellular module; a containment membrane; and a filter, with the modular fluid collector disposed at a gradient. The plurality of modular fluid collectors are in communication with each other and are substantially parallel to each other. A method for fluid collection. The fluid collection system comprises contacting a fluid with a plurality of fluid collection modules; passing a fluid through a containment membrane; receiving the fluid into cavity; and contacting the fluid with a geocellular module.

Abstract: An AV sensor can be cleaned by charging a conductive layer over a sensor surface. The conductive layer may be positively or negatively charged and can repel contaminants having the same polarity away from the sensor. The charging of the conductive layer can be triggered by a determination that the sensor needs cleaning, which can be based on sensor data captured by the sensor or a different sensor. The charging of the conductive layer may include one or more charging cycles, each of which includes charging the conductive layer with two opposing polarities. Another conductive layer may be over the conductive layer. The other conductive layer can be charged with an opposite polarity from the conductive layer so that an electric field is present between the two conductive layers. A piezoelectric layer between the two conductive layers can vibrate under the electric field. The vibration can enhance the cleaning.

Abstract: A downhole testing and sampling system includes a downhole tool, a conveyance system, and a testing and sampling tool forming a portion of the downhole tool. The testing and sampling tool including a first sampling modality and a second sampling modality. One or both of the first sampling modality or the second sampling modality may be deployed to collect a formation sample based, at least in part, on one or more formation properties.

Abstract: A stent may include a tubular stent body having a lumen extending therethrough. The stent may further include an anchor portion attached to an end of the tubular stent body, where the lumen continues through the anchor portion, and where the anchor portion includes at least one opening configured to facilitate tissue ingrowth. The anchor portion may be detachable from the tubular stent body while the stent is in a deployed state.

Abstract: An apparatus for the destruction of needles and other sharp objects using electrical current. In addition to an incineration port where needles are inserted for destruction, the apparatus also includes certain improvements related to the shape and composition of the electrical contacts, certain safety circuits related to power source overheating, and digital monitoring and control of current throughput to minimize sparking.

Abstract: An AM/AV fabric, comprising base fibers comprising a base polymer composition comprising a base polymer; and short AM/AV fibers comprising an AM/AV polymer composition comprising an AM/AV polymer and an AM/AV compound. The fabric has a charge and demonstrates a particle efficiency greater than 20% when measured in accordance with TSI 8130A test system at 10.5 ft/min face velocity, and a Klebsiella pneumoniae efficacy log reduction greater than 1.5, as measured in accordance with ASTM E3160 (2018).

Abstract: A methodology is described for determining a time for responding to an initial encounter by a vehicle with a map error in a map segment, wherein the initial encounter is detected by a detector. A method includes identifying an error type associated with the map error, wherein the error type is one of a first error type and a second error type; determining at least one additional factor associated with the initial encounter; determining a response time for the map error based on the error type and the at least one additional factor; and initiating a mitigating action in response to the initial encounter within the response time, wherein the response time comprises an amount of time from the initial encounter with the map error to a time at which a mitigating action should be taken.

Abstract: A flexible, collapsible vehicle door is provided that can be easily installed and uninstalled on a vehicle, without modification to the vehicle. The uninstalled door can be rolled up into a compact configuration allowing for storage. The collapsible door includes latches which secure the door to the top and bottom of the door frame. Straps on top and bottom of the door further hold the frame in place. The flexible door material rolls down from the top of the frame when needed for use. The door further attaches to the frame by way of two steel posts that fit the inside hinge openings on the stock vehicle body. A latch portion of the collapsible door may be used to secure the collapsible door in the closed position.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying resources responsible for events. In one embodiment, a method may include determining a number of unique actors in a plurality of actors that have accessed the resource. The method may further include identifying from the plurality of actors a set of affected actors that has been affected by an event and identifying from the set of affected actors a subset of resource-affected actors that accessed the resource prior to being affected by the event. The method may further include determining a number of resource-affected actors in the subset of resource-affected actors and, based on the number of unique actors and the number of resource-affected actors, determining an event score for the resource. The event score may be a lower bound of a confidence interval of a binomial proportion of the number of resource-affected actors to the number of unique actors.

Abstract: The systems and methods use a gradient boosted decision tree, which may be trained in data sparse environments. The system also uses a data transformation step to collapse complex data into a standardized feature input (e.g., a fixed length feature input) that may be processed by the model with a constant (or near-constant) lookup time and with minimal latency. Finally, the system generates a dual variable output that provides both a metric of whether a communication is fraudulent and/or unauthorized as well as a confidence level of that determination.

Abstract: A power stage configured for assigning each phase a unique address is disclosed. In particular, the disclosed power stage includes temporarily using a dedicated pulse width modulation (PWM) connection between a controller and a phase to assign a unique address to the phase. Then, after the assignment, the PWM connection may be returned to use for regulation, while the phases can communicate over a common communication bus using their assigned addresses. This addressed communication can be used to control a power state of all phases, all phases of a particular rail, or a particular phase. Controlling the power state with addressed commands communicated over a communication bus can help reduce the current consumed by the power stage during light load conditions or sleep states.

Abstract: A client device operates by: reading an optical code associated with a coupon; sending, in response to reading the optical code, a request to download a coupon NFT associated with the coupon from an NFT distribution platform; downloading from the NFT distribution platform, via the client device, the coupon NFT associated with the coupon; and storing the coupon NFT in a wallet associated with a user of the client device.

Abstract: A light inspection system positions an autonomous vehicle (AV) in a field of view of a camera such that the camera captures an image of a light of the AV. The light inspection system instructs a camera to capture an image of the light while the light is switched on. The light inspection system receives the captured image, determines a luminance of the light based on the image, and determines to service the light in response to the luminance of the light being below a threshold luminance.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described herein for enabling users to access user data of other users using cryptographic tokens. A data access system may be used to enable access. The system may receive a blockchain operation request for enabling access to first user data associated with a first user. The system may generate a cryptographic token and an access entry. When the system receives a second blockchain operation request for accessing the first user data, the system may determine one or more parameters for accessing the first user data. In response to verifying the one or more parameters, the data access system may enable access to the first user data.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, olefins may be produced by contacting a hydrocarbon feed stream with a particulate solid in a reaction vessel. The reaction vessel may be connected to a riser. The riser may extend through a riser port of an outer shell of a particulate solid separation section such that the riser may comprise an interior riser segment and an exterior riser segment. The particulate solid separation section may include a gas outlet port, a riser port, and a particulate solid outlet port. The particulate solid separation section may house a gas/solids separation device and a solid particulate collection area. The riser port may be positioned on a sidewall of the outer shell such that it is not located on a central vertical axis of the particulate solid separation section. The particulate solid may be separated from an olefin-containing product stream in the gas/solids separation device.

Abstract: Methods and processes can include disbursement and/or management and issuance of guaranteed preapprovals in real-estate transactions reordered as offers to purchase real estate property sold by sellers smart in a distributed digital ledger system. In some embodiments, holders of guaranteed preapproval NFTs may be linked to offers to purchase real-estate may offer these NFTs to other lenders under more favorable terms.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described herein for generating communication modifications to reduce inaccurate machine-learning-based communication suppressions. The system may receive a candidate communication to be sent to a user device or user account. The system may generate a prediction indicating whether a negative action is likely to be taken by a machine learning model with respect to the candidate communication. Based on a prediction that a negative action is likely to be taken by a machine learning model with respect to the candidate communication, the system may modify the candidate communication.

Abstract: Wireless offloading provides tools to a service provider to encourage or direct a subscriber to offload from a first network, e.g., a cellular network, to a second network, e.g., a Wi-Fi network. The cellular service provider can use network data to determine wireless offloading priorities for cellular subscribers on an individual or group basis. The cellular service provider may use wireless network data it has and/or wireless network data it learns about networks from the wireless devices (which may obtain Wi-Fi network data from beacon frames of Wi-Fi networks or active scanning and which may report to the cellular service provider). Each wireless device can be given scanning assignments to ensure that the reporting task is shared among subscribers or adjusted to fill in gaps in data. With the network data, the cellular service provider is capable of generating useful prioritized network lists for wireless devices, either individually or as a group.