Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to estimate cardinality of users represented in arbitrarily distributed bloom filter arrays are disclosed. An apparatus includes a communications interface to obtain a first Bloom filter array generated by a first computer of a first database proprietor and obtain a second Bloom filter array generated by a second computer of a second database proprietor. The apparatus includes a cardinality analyzer to estimate a total number of unique users included in a union of corresponding ones of the first and second users represented in the first and second Bloom filter arrays regardless of whether the first and second users are mapped, based on a first distribution or a second distribution different than the first distribution, to the corresponding first and second Bloom filter arrays.

Abstract: Systems and methods for initiating an instant messaging chat session from an email thread are described. In examples, an email thread including at least one email is received and user identifiers form the at least one email are extracted. Presence information associated with each user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers is obtained and then ordered. The ordered plurality of user identifiers together with their presence information are displayed in a user interface window. A determination to display a user control associated with an instant messaging capability is based on the presence information associated with at least one user identifier of the plurality of user identifiers. Upon receiving an indication that the user control associated with the instant messaging chat capability is selected, an instant messaging chat session is initiated.

Abstract: A method includes generating an audio signal encoding an utterance captured by a microphone of a user device and transmitting the audio signal encoding the utterance to a server. The server is configured to determine a speaker of the utterance from one of a plurality of different users of the user device based on a comparison between the audio signal encoding the utterance and corresponding speaker verification data, and process the audio signal encoding the utterance using a speech recognition module to identify a particular action. The method also includes executing the particular action identified by the server to cause a particular application to launch on the user device based on user permissions associated with the speaker determined by the server to access the particular data.

Abstract: An illustrative embodiment includes a latch rotatably mounted on a support bracket and including first and second flanges that define therebetween a notch configured to receive a striker bar. The latch is rotatable into a closed position with the striker bar received in the notch responsive to the first flange being moved against the striker bar. A pawl having an inner edge and a cam edge is rotatably mounted on the support bracket. An outer side of the first flange is configured to engage the inner edge to hold the pawl in an unlocked position responsive to the latch being in an open position. The pawl is configured to rotate and the cam edge is configured to move against the first side of the first flange to hold the latch in the closed position responsive to the latch rotating past the inner edge of the pawl.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a guide shielding cage, an internal biasing heat sink and two lateral heat dissipating members. The guide shielding cage includes a cage body and a partitioning bracket provided in the cage body, the cage body has a top wall and two side walls, the partitioning bracket has an upper wall and a lower wall which together define an interior receiving space, and the partitioning bracket and the cage body together define an upper receiving space and a lower receiving space, each side wall of the cage body is formed with a side window which is communicated with the interior receiving space, the lower wall of the partitioning bracket is formed with a lower window which allows the interior receiving space to be communicated with the lower receiving space. The internal biasing heat sink is provided in the partitioning bracket and has an internal heat dissipating member, the internal heat dissipating member enters into the lower receiving space via the lower window.

Abstract: In a surgical method, an elongate probe is inserted into a spinal disc exemplarily into a nucleus pulposus thereof in a direction generally parallel to vertebral end faces adjacent to the spinal disc. During the inserting of the elongate probe, the probe is ultrasonically vibrated. Thereafter, while ultrasonically vibrating the elongate probe, one moves the elongate probe to sever a prismatic portion of the spinal disc including a prismatic section of the nucleus pulposus. The prismatic portion of the spinal disc is removed from a remaining portion of the spinal disc.

Abstract: An RFID portal of an EAS system first interrogates a first zone extending into a controlled area beyond a threshold distance from an interrogating antenna of the portal. The portal defines an exit from the controlled area, the threshold distance being less than a width of the exit. The portal first detects, in response to the first interrogating, a first response of a particular RFID tag. The portal second interrogate, subsequent to the first detecting, in a second zone extending into the controlled area at least to the threshold distance. The portal second detects, in response to the second interrogating, at least one second response of the particular RFID tag indicating a received signal strength of the second interrogating at the particular RFID tag corresponding to a distance from an interrogating antenna of the portal less than the threshold distance. The EAS system alarms in response to the second detecting.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device has an emitter matrix with an arrangement of emitter cells interspersed with non-emitter cells. The emitter cell has a semiconductor emitter, and a non-emitter cell does not have a semiconductor emitter. A number of bond pads for connection to a power supply and a plurality of wirebonds are present. Each wirebond extends from a bond pad to the semiconductor emitter of an emitter cell. An imaging arrangement includes a light source for illuminating a scene. The light source has a pair of such semiconductor light-emitting devices. A method of manufacturing such a semiconductor light-emitting device is also described.

Abstract: An aqueous or water-borne precursor liquid for forming an odor-absorbing and anti-fouling heterophasic thermoset polymeric coating is provided. The precursor includes a fluorine-containing polyol precursor having a functionality >about 2 that forms a branched fluorine-containing polymer component defining a first phase in the anti-fouling heterophasic thermoset polymeric coating. The precursor also includes a first precursor that forms a first component including a cyclodextrin present as second phase. The first phase can be a continuous phase and the second phase can be a first discrete phase, or the second phase can be the continuous phase and the first phase can be the first discrete phase. A crosslinking agent, water, and optional acid or base are also present. An emulsifier may also be included. Methods of making an odor-absorbing and anti-fouling heterophasic thermoset polymeric coatings with such precursors are also provided.

Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.

Abstract: An irrigation modeling framework in precision agriculture utilizes a combination of weather data, crop data, and other agricultural inputs to create customized agronomic models for diagnosing and predicting a moisture state in a field, and a corresponding need for, and timing of, irrigation activities. Specific combinations of various agricultural inputs can be applied, together with weather information to identify or adjust water-related characteristics of crops and soils, to model optimal irrigation activities and provide advisories, recommendations, and scheduling guidance for targeted application of artificial precipitation to address specific moisture conditions in a soil system of a field.

Abstract: A zoned time-of-flight (ToF) arrangement includes a sensor and a steerable light source that produces an illumination beam having a smaller angular extent than the field of view (FoV) of the sensor. The illumination beam is steerable within the sensor's FoV to optionally move through the sensor's FoV or dwell in a particular region of interest. Steering the illumination beam and sequentially generating a depth map of the illuminated region permits advantageous operations over ToF arrangements that simultaneously illuminate the entire sensor's FoV. For example, ambient performance, maximum range, and jitter are improved. Multiple steering alternative configurations are disclosed, including mechanical, electro optical, and electrowetting solutions.

Abstract: A system includes at least one sensing unit, the sensing unit including a sensing element. The system includes at least one spatial Lorentz filter coupled to the sensing element. The spatial Lorentz filter (SLF) includes an input coupled to the sensing element and an analog to digital converter (ADC) providing a filtered output signal. The sensing unit is connected to a processor configured for determining velocity or position with respect to a magnetic field and/or a geographic position by processing SLF output signals.

Abstract: This disclosure relates in general to systems and methods for tracking objects proximate an autonomous vehicle. In particular, an object tracking system capable of re-identifying objects it has temporarily lost line of sight to is described. Re-identification of the objects allows earlier object detections to be used more effectively to predict motion likely to be taken by the objects.

Abstract: A method for depth sensing from an image of a projected pattern is performed at an electronic device with one or more processors and memory. The method includes receiving an image of a projection of an illumination pattern; for a portion of the image, selecting a candidate image of a plurality of candidate images by comparing the portion of the image with a plurality of candidate images; and determining a depth for the portion of the image based on depth information associated with the selected candidate image. Related electronic devices and computer readable storage medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: A predictor has a memory which stores at least one example for which an associated outcome is not known. The memory stores at least one decision tree comprising a plurality of nodes connected by edges, the nodes comprising a root node, internal nodes and leaf nodes. Individual ones of the nodes and individual ones of the edges each have an assigned module, comprising parameterized, differentiable operations, such that for each of the internal nodes the module computes a binary outcome for selecting a child node of the internal node. The predictor has a processor configured to compute the prediction by processing the example using a plurality of the differentiable operations selected according to a path through the tree from the root node to a leaf node.

Abstract: A fastener device is disclosed. The fastener device includes a hub defining a bore, an attachment shank including a proximal stop and distal bit received within the bore, a retainer releasably engagable with a proximal end of the hub and a defining a passageway for a proximal mounting end of the attachment shank, a biasing element engaged with the proximal stop, and a split cam assembly disposed within a distal end of the bore. The split cam assembly is biased toward a closed configuration for engaging and retaining the head of a fastener, and is piovtable upon distal advancement of the attachment shank and distal bit, against the head, to release the head from engagement with the split cam assembly.

Abstract: Technology for a user interface that supports an access control mechanism for network sharing. An example method involves providing a user interface comprising media items and media availability indicators, wherein a media availability indicator indicates one or more states of a media item; updating the media availability indicator to represent that an encrypted version of the media item and a wrapped key have been received over a connection, wherein the wrapped key was encrypted using a public key of a server; enabling the user interface to initiate the transmission of the wrapped key to the server, wherein the wrapped key comprises a cryptographic key for the encrypted version of the media item; receiving the cryptographic key that is unwrapped by the server using a private key of the server; and updating the media availability indicator of the user interface to represent the media item is available to be experienced.

Abstract: Water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymers are made by reacting (i) an unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups, or (ii) an unsaturated or saturated oligomer or polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups, with a tertiary amine in the presence of an acid, or with an acid in the presence of a tertiary amine, or in the presence of an acid and a tertiary amine, to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed monomer, oligomer or polymer. When step a) provides a monomer or oligomer, the monomer or oligomer is reacted with one or more monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer. When step a) provides a polymer, the polymer is optionally used to support emulsion polymerization of one or more unsaturated monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed further polymer.

Abstract: In the face of ransomware attacks, which can be increasingly difficult to effectively prevent, a solution can be considered to be the minimization of the cost and time taken to recover data and, hence business activities. Embodiments perform a restore operation that include automatically identifying the most recent healthy backup, from which data should be restored, and the prioritizing of the order in which data should be restored.