Abstract: Aspects of the technology relate to propulsion systems for high altitude, long duration balloons, such as balloons that operate in the stratosphere for weeks, months or longer. A propeller assembly is used to provide lateral directional adjustments, which allows the balloon to spend more time over a desired region, reduce the return time to the desired region, reduce fleet overprovisioning, and increases the safety case by additional controls and avoidance abilities. A control assembly manages operation of the propeller assembly, including setting the pointing direction, speed of rotation and determining when to turn on the propeller and for how long. The propulsion system including the control and propeller assemblies is rotatable around a connection member of the balloon. Such rotation is independently adjustable from any rotation of the balloon's payload. The propeller blades may be made of plastic, which reduces weight and cost while providing sufficient speed at stratospheric altitudes.

Abstract: A manually actuated drug-injecting device is configured such that the grip strength of the entire hand (i.e., majority of fingers closing toward the palm or heel of the hand) is employed to discharge medication through a hypodermic needle and into a patient's body. The device is well suited for delivering medications with high viscosity and/or by patients (e.g., elderly patients) with reduced finger strength and dexterity. The device includes a grip member, a push member (which causes the medication to be injected), and a force-transfer mechanism that couples the grip member to the push member. Suitably, the device is configured to be held transverse to the palm of the medication-administering hand, with a discharge port located by the outer, blade edge of the administering hand, when the device is being gripped to administer medication.

Abstract: A method and system are described for generating a quantified perception profile of a predetermined stimulus. The method may be used in colorimetry or flavor quantization. Flavor descriptors are selected from database for the particular product and presented pairwise in all possible pair combinations to each of a plurality of tasters via user-devices. For each flavor descriptor pair, users select one of the descriptors which is perceived to be more intense than the other. The results of the selections are captured at host and mapped by normalizing means as intensity values into a flavor descriptor space in database to create a quantized flavor profile. Normalizing means performs a weighting on each descriptor selection result. Filtering means detects anomalous or inconsistent selection responses and issues adaptive control instructions.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for identifying advertisements previously presented when processing related search queries related to a submitted search query, and providing the advertisements identified from the related search queries for presentation on a search results page for the submitted search query.

Abstract: A method includes training a first model to measure the banding artefacts, training a second model to deband the image, and generating a debanded image for the image using the second model. Training the first model can include selecting a first set of first training images, generating a banding edge map for a first training image, where the map includes weights that emphasize banding edges and de-emphasize true edges in the first training image, and using the map and a luminance plane of the first training image as input to the first model. Training the second model can include selecting a second set of second training images, generating a debanded training image for a second training image, generating a banding score for the debanded training image using the first model, and using the banding score in a loss function used in training the second model.

Abstract: Described are techniques for modeling processing performed in a data storage system. Inputs received may include a plurality of workloads each denoting a workload for one of a plurality of storage groups, a plurality of service level objectives each denoting a target level of performance for one of the plurality of storage groups, a plurality of capacities each denoting a storage capacity of one of a plurality of storage tiers, and a plurality of maximum workloads each denoting a maximum workload capability of one of the plurality of storage tiers. Using the inputs, placement of data of the plurality of storage groups on the plurality of storage tiers may be modeled. Output(s) may be generated based on the modeling where the output(s) may include an amount of each of the plurality of storage tiers allocated by modeling to each of the plurality of storage groups.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for creating a personalized barcode for an account holder at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). An embodiment operates by storing account holder unique data and a first rule for generating a personalized barcode unique to the account holder based on the account holder unique data. After receiving a request for completion of a transaction from the first account holder, placing the account holder unique data and the first rule in a pairing service. Thereafter, the ATM is configured to retrieve the account holder unique data and the first rule from the pairing service, generate the first personalized barcode based on the first rule and the account holder unique data, and present the first personalized barcode to the first account holder.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for training a machine-learned model using satellite imagery and physical river gauge data as ground-truth information. Methods include receiving, from a user in a graphical user interface presented on a user device, a depth request for depth information at a geolocation. At least two satellite images are received, including the geolocation where a difference in respective capture times of each of the satellite images is within a threshold. The satellite images for the geolocation are provided to a machine-learned river gauge model. The machine-learned river gauge model determines depth information for the geolocation utilizing the satellite images, and provides, to the user in the graphical user interface, the depth information at the geolocation.

Abstract: This invention describes a new method to generate wheat seed. The process involves the delivery of pollen of the male parent at will, as available either in a preserved pollen bank, or using real-time collection from male plants as they become available. Desired pollen is delivered to fertile females during the period when viable pollen from the females and locally proximal unrelated plants is not being released. The delivered male pollen is in such amounts and fortuitously timed that it preferentially pollinates the females. Such fortuitous timing may involve the intentional application of pollen to females a day or two prior to female parent pollen becoming viable, and/or during several periods wherein female parent pollen and/or other proximal plant pollen is not being shed.

Abstract: An impeller for a pump is disclosed herein. The impeller can include a hub having a fixed end and a free end. The impeller can also have a plurality of blades supported by the hub. Each blade can have a fixed end coupled to the hub and a free end. The impeller can have a stored configuration and a deployed configuration, the blades in the deployed configuration extending away from the hub, and the blades in the stored configuration being compressed against the hub.

Abstract: The technology relates to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode in accordance with behavior predictions for other road users in the vehicle's vicinity. In particular, the vehicle's onboard computing system may predict whether another road user will perform a “continuing” lane driving operation, such as going straight in a turn-only lane. Sensor data from detected/observed objects in the vehicle's nearby environment may be evaluated in view of one or more possible behaviors for different types of objects. In addition, roadway features, in particular whether lane segments are connected in a roadgraph, are also evaluated to determine probabilities of whether other road users may make an improper continuing lane driving operation. This is used to generate more accurate behavior predictions, which the vehicle can use to take alternative (e.g., corrective) driving actions.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus that enables trusted location tracking includes a housing arranged to hold a user equipment, one or more devices, a local communication device, and a controller at least partially supported by the housing. The apparatus obtains, via the one or more devices, a first set of data characterizing a location of the user equipment. The apparatus further establishes, via the location communication device, a local communication channel with the user equipment. The apparatus also obtains through the local communication channel a second set of data characterizing the location of the user equipment. The apparatus also determines a trust score characterizing the second set of data based on the first set of data. The apparatus additionally triggers an alert in accordance with a determination that the trust score is below a threshold.

Abstract: A method for storing data comprises maintaining an address table for a memory space containing volatile memory and nonvolatile memory space. The nonvolatile memory space includes both multi-level cell (MLC) space and single level cell (SLC) space and the volatile memory includes a random access volatile memory element. An address table maps logical and physical addresses adaptable to the system by the address table. The mapping is performed as necessitated by the system to maximize lifetime maps data in at least one of volatile or nonvolatile memories. Storing received data within a controller memory associated with the at least one controller. Controlling access of the MLC and SLC nonvolatile memory elements and the random access volatile memory element for storage of the received data.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for providing interactive notification panels to a user. A bot apparatus receives a notification from an application program and transforms the notification into one or more interactive notification panels configured to receive user inputs and/or to provide an output to at least one user input. Based on at least one user input, the bot apparatus transmits data to the application program, which causes the application program to perform one or more actions.

Abstract: A base station may generate and transmit a transport stream including a sequence of frames. A frame may include a plurality of partitions, where each partition includes a corresponding set of OFDM symbols. For each partition, the OFDM symbols in that partition may have a corresponding cyclic prefix size and a corresponding FFT size, allowing different partitions to be targeted for different collections of user devices, e.g., user devices having different expected values of maximum delay spread and/or different ranges of mobility. The base station may also dynamically re-configure the sample rate of each frame, allowing further resolution in control of subcarrier spacing. By allowing the cyclic prefixes of different OFDM symbols to have different lengths, it is feasible to construct a frame that confirms to a set payload duration and has arbitrary values of cyclic prefix size per partition and FFT size per partition. The partitions may be multiplexed in time and/or frequency.

Abstract: Systems and methods for apprising a user of a proximately located aspect-of-interest are disclosed. One method may include: receiving an indication of a geographic location associated with the user; identifying an aspect associated with a multimedia content interest of the user; determining whether the geographic location associated is within a predetermined distance to a known location the aspect associated with the multimedia content interest; transmitting, responsive to determining that the geographic location is within the predetermined distance to the known location, instructions to a user device associated with the user to provide a notification to the user; receiving, at the server, another indication that the user has provided interaction input to the notification; and transmitting additional instructions to another device to perform an action that is based on the interaction input.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method, a device, and a program product for deploying a visual resource. In one method, a resource requirement of a vision application for the visual resource in a network system is acquired. Based on the resource requirement, the visual resource which will be called by the vision application is predicted. Based on processing capabilities of various edge devices and the visual resource in the network system, an edge device located near a terminal device in the network system is identified, wherein the terminal device is configured to run the vision application. Based on a time requirement in the resource requirement, the visual resource is deployed to the edge device. Further, a corresponding device and a corresponding program product are provided.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for prepaid card funding for sponsored purchases includes receiving a payment request for funding a sponsored purchase using a payment vehicle, deducting funds from a financial account associated with the payment vehicle, such that the financial account has a negative balance, and loading additional funds into the financial account associated with the payment vehicle, such that the financial account has a zero balance.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for implementations of motion paths via pure CSS3 and HTML5, working in all major browsers and requiring no JavaScript. For each motion path degree of freedom (e.g., x translation), the system may insert an additional element into the document object model (DOM) to host its animation. In some implementations, the system may apply an optimization process to fit CSS3 keyframes rules that approximate the ideal motion path trajectory to a predetermined tolerance while minimizing the storage footprint. In addition to supporting CSS3 motion paths, this authoring model retains the ability to supply arbitrary standard CSS3 animations to transform channels, which allows users to, e.g., animate the scale and rotation of an element independent of its progress along a motion path.

Abstract: A brake pad having a backing plate, friction lining, and a surface coating adhered to the friction lining. The surface coating may be formulated to generate a transfer layer on a brake rotor faster than the friction lining alone. The surface coating may be adhered to the friction lining in a predetermined design.