Abstract: Systems and methods for damping torsional oscillations of downhole systems are described. The systems include a downhole drilling system disposed at an end of the downhole system in operative connection with a drill bit. A damping system is installed on the downhole drilling system, the damping system having at least one damper element configured to dampen at least one HFTO mode. At least one mode-shape tuning element is arranged on the drilling system. The at least one mode-shape tuning element is configured and positioned on the drilling system to modify at least one of a shape of the HFTO mode, a frequency of the HFTO mode, an excitability of the HFTO mode, and a damping efficiency of the at least one damper element.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a query containing at least one field from which data is being queried, obtaining a dataset having a schema-free data exchange format having multiple fields of data at different physical positions in the dataset, and parsing the dataset by obtaining a structural index that maps logical locations of fields to physical locations of the fields of the dataset, accessing the structural index with logical locations of the fields that index to the physical locations, and providing data from the fields based on the physical locations responsive to the query.

Abstract: A power system provides power from a power source to a load via a distribution bus, and includes a DC-DC converter coupled in parallel with a network of switching elements coupled between an output terminal of the power source and the distribution bus. A controller is configured to selectively activate or deactivate the DC-DC converter and each of the switching elements to enable the power source to power the load via the distribution bus. The switching elements may be transistors, and the diodes may be parasitic body diodes of the transistors. The power source may be a battery, such as a rechargeable battery. An output voltage level from the battery may be regulated by the controller as a function of operation of the DC-DC converter and a number of the activated or deactivated transistors.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described herein for generating dynamic conversational responses. For example, dynamic conversational responses may facilitate an interactive exchange with users. Therefore, the methods and systems used specialized methods to enriched data that may be indicative of a user's intent prior to processing that data through the machine learning model, as well as a specialized architecture for the machine learning models that take advantage of the user interface format. For example, a first machine learning model may be trained using a multi-class cross entropy loss function, and a second machine learning model may be trained using a binary cross entropy loss function. A third output may be determined based on a weighted average of first and second outputs from the first and second machine learning models, and a subset of dynamic conversational responses may be generated based on the determined third output.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems directed towards identifying player engagement to generate contextual game play assistance. User gameplay information is monitored so that the user can be provided assistance within the video game where the user may have problems. User gameplay information is monitored in order to identify what type(s) of assistance could be provided to the user. The information can be based on the current level of frustration of the user with the video game.

Abstract: A wireless receiver receives location pilots embedded in received symbols and uses the location pilots to detect the first path for every base station the network has designated for the receiver to use in time of arrival estimation. The receiver preferably applies matching pursuit strategies to offer a robust and reliable identification of a channel impulse response's first path. The receiver may also receive and use estimation pilots as a supplement to the location pilot information in determining time of arrival. The receiver can use metrics characteristic of the channel to improve the robustness and reliability of the identification of a CIR's first path. With the first path identified, the receiver measures the time of arrival for signals from that path and the receiver determines the observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) to respond to network requests for OTDOA and position determination measurements.

Abstract: A system configuration that significantly improves the laser damage threshold of multi-layer dielectric gratings for lasers applications includes three main sections: 1) a laser module, 2) a TM polarization module, and 3) a multi-layer dielectric grating optimized for high efficiency operation with transverse magnetic polarized laser light.

Abstract: A crowd management system includes at least one local controller associated with an attraction area of an individual attraction within a theme park. The crowd management system includes a transceiver of the at least one local controller, where the transceiver receives guests data via wireless signals from guest-associated devices within a detection range of the local controller. The crowd management system includes a remote central controller in communication with the at least one local controller and the guest-associated device. The remote central controller receives the guest data from the at least one local controller and determines one or more crowd metrics of the individual attraction based on the guest data. The remote central controller generates an activity command based on the one or more crowd metrics. The remote central controller transmits the activity command to at least one guest-associated device of the guest-associated devices.

Abstract: A solution to the growing customer demand on cell tower signal capacity is needed. As such, a directional antenna for cellular communication, a communications system using the directional antenna, and a method of communicating using the directional antenna are provided herein. In one example, the directional antenna includes: (1) a Luneburg lens having a spherical shape, and (2) a curved substrate that conforms to the spherical shape of the Luneburg lens, the curved substrate having a feed network of signal conveyors affixed to a front side and a ground plane back side, wherein the signal conveyors are aligned with the Luneburg lens to communicate radio frequency signals within a sector.

Abstract: A computing system includes a processor, a network interface controller; a a secure classified remote access as a service application including instructions; and an information technology service management application including instructions wherein the information technology service management application is accessible to the secure classified remote access as a service application via the network interface controller; and wherein the instructions of the secure classified remote access application cause the system to: perform systematic monitoring operations and maintain a virtual hosting environment; perform a network vulnerability analysis; remediate a finding; and notify a user. A method includes performing systematic monitoring; performing a network vulnerability analysis; remediating a finding; and notifying a user.

Abstract: Coding schemes for coding a spatially sampled information signal using sub-division and coding schemes for coding a sub-division or a multitree structure are described, wherein representative embodiments relate to picture and/or video coding applications.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for syncing and propagating updated metadata across multiple endpoints. In one aspect, a request is sent from a client computing device to a service for updated metadata of a dataset. When updated metadata is identified at the service, updated metadata associated with a parent node of the dataset may be received at the client computing device without requiring the service to send updated metadata for one or more children nodes in the dataset. store the updated metadata associated with the parent node of the dataset may be stored in a local data store at the client computing device.

Abstract: A method begins by monitoring exchange item transactions occurring in an exchange item marketplace network. The method continues with generating trend information based on the monitored exchange item transactions and determining attributes for a targeted marketing program based on the trend information. The method continues with identifying a subset of buyer computing devices based on the attributes. The method continues by generating offer information based on the targeted marketing program and sending the offer information to the subset of buyer computing devices. When receiving a purchase request from a buyer computing device, the method continues by generating an exchange item request regarding an exchange item and sending the exchange item request to a branded server associated with the exchange item. The method includes receiving offer exchange item information from the branded server and sending at least a portion of the offer exchange item information to the buyer computing device.

Abstract: An intelligent method of selecting a data recovery site upon receiving a data recovery request. The backup system collects historical activity data of the storage system to identify work load of every data recovery site. A predicted activity load for each data recovery site is then generated using the collected data. When a request for data recovery is received, the system first identifies which data recovery site has copies of the files to be recovered. Then it uses the predicted work load for these data recovery sites to determine whether to use a geographically local site or a site that may be remote geographically, but has a lower work load.

Abstract: A program map table in a transport stream comprising an elementary stream identifier indicating a particular elementary stream, a high dynamic range flag indicating the presence or absence of high dynamic range content within the elementary stream, and a wide color gamut flag indicating the presence or absence of wide color gamut content within the elementary stream.

Abstract: A LIDAR device includes an input node, an output node, and a sample-and-convert circuit. The input node receives a photodetector signal, and the output node generates an output signal indicating a light intensity value of the photodetector signal. The sample-and-convert circuit includes a number of detection channels coupled in parallel between the input node and the output node. In some aspects, each of the detection channels may be configured to sample a value of the photodetector signal during the sample mode and to hold the sampled value during the convert mode using a single capacitor.

Abstract: Various implementations include a switch assembly that includes a housing and at least two printed circuit boards (PCBs) that are disposed within the housing and are axially arranged relative to each other. One or more force sensors are disposed on one of the PCBs, and, in some implementations, the one or more force sensors receive force input received by a touch overlay plate. Signals from the force sensors are processed to determine a magnitude, acceleration, and/or location of the force input, and a haptic feedback response is received by the touch overlay plate. The haptic feedback response is based on the force magnitude, acceleration, and/or location of input, according to some implementations. Axially arranging the PCBs reduces the footprint of the switch assembly and allows for the inclusion of more electrical components in the switch assembly, according to some implementations.