Abstract: There is provided a method comprising: transmitting, by a user terminal, to a state server a request for state change information of a service provided by the user terminal; receiving, by the user terminal, an indication of said state change information from the state server; and using, by the user terminal, said received indication to determine whether or not to suppress a polling relating to said service of a master server.

Abstract: Managing secondary objects efficiently increases garbage collection concurrency and reduces object storage requirements. Aliveness marking of secondary objects is integrated with aliveness marking of referenced objects. Allocation of reference-sized secondary object identifier fields in objects which are not primary objects is avoided; a dedicated bit specifies primary objects, together with an object relationship table. A primary object is one with at least one secondary object which is deemed alive by garbage collection if the primary object is alive, without being a referenced object of the primary object. Any referenced objects of the alive primary object will also still be deemed alive. Code paths for marking referenced objects can be shared to allow more efficient secondary object marking. Primary-secondary object relationships may be represented in dependent handles, and may be specified in a hash table or other data structure.

Abstract: Predicting and learning users' intended actions on an electronic device based on free-form speech input. Users' actions can be monitored to develop a list of carrier phrases having one or more actions that correspond to the carrier phrases. A user can speak a command into a device to initiate an action. The spoken command can be parsed and compared to a list of carrier phrases. If the spoken command matches one of the known carrier phrases, the corresponding action(s) can be presented to the user for selection. If the spoken command does not match one of the known carrier phrases, search results (e.g., Internet search results) corresponding to the spoken command can be presented to the user. The actions of the user in response to the presented action(s) and/or the search results can be monitored to update the list of carrier phrases.

Abstract: A convertible wheelchair system, between a wheelchair configuration and an all-terrain configuration, is provided. Embodiments include a central frame aligned along a central longitudinal axis, the central frame having a front and back bar parallel to each other and orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis, paired side bars aligned with the central longitudinal axis, and paired wheel cages, aligned with the central longitudinal axis and attached to the front and back bars, each wheel cage supporting an axle and a wheel mounted thereon. The system further includes a forward beam alignable with the central longitudinal axis, configured to support a forward wheel, and reversibly attached to the front bar. The convertible wheelchair is in the all-terrain configuration when the forward beam is attached to the frame, and the wheelchair configuration when the forward beam is detached from the frame, the central frame thereby standing without the forward beam.

Abstract: Turbomachines such as air dynamometers are disclosed that include a radial outflow compressor and gas collector. In some examples, the gas collector is designed as a separate component that is coupled to the machine, such as coupled to a frame. In some examples, the collector and frame are intentionally spaced and coupled at discrete points to minimize the transfer of mechanical and thermal energy therebetween. Aspects of the present disclosure also include turbomachines that include at least one impeller bypass flow path for the direct transfer of air between ambient and a location in the collector downstream of the impeller blades. In some examples, such flowpath(s) may allow for the inflow of external ambient air into the collector.

Abstract: A blind bolt and tool is used for fastening a bolt through a hole in a structure when only one side of the structure is accessible. A receiver is formed on the tip end of a bolt shaft opposite from a bolt head. Internal threads are formed within the receiver proximate an outward end, and a hex socket is formed in the inward end of the receiver. External threads and a guide are formed on a tip of the tool, and the external threads mate with the internal threads in the receiver to hold the bolt during installation. A hex key on one end of the tool engages the hex socket in the receiver so that the tool may impose a torque on the bolt when a nut is being tightened on the bolt. In another embodiment, a splined tip is formed on the end of the bolt. The tip is designed to shear off when a sufficient torque is applied. Also, a shim is configured to fit between structures held together by the blind bolt.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for controlling access to vehicles in rental, loaner, shared-use, and other vehicle fleets. Some of the present systems, devices, and methods use encrypted virtual keys that can be relayed to a vehicle computing device via a user's mobile device. Such virtual keys can be command-specific such that successful use of a virtual key results execution of a predetermined command or group of commands, and further commands require one or more additional virtual keys with the additional commands. Others of the present systems, devices, and methods provide tools: for provisioning or initial pairing of vehicle computing devices with corresponding vehicles, identifying and permitting a user to select locally available vehicles, prompting vehicle computing devices to retrieve pending commands from a server, and/or various other functions described in this disclosure.

Abstract: An enhanced oil recovery method in which carbon dioxide is injected into a well to pressure the well or add lift a production flow from the well recaptures the injected carbon dioxide for reinjection into the well for lift or into another well in a group of for pressuring the well or adding lift to the production flow from the well. Geothermal energy in the production stream can be converted to electrical power for use in the recapturing of the carbon dioxide or other operations at the well site.

Abstract: A packaging system having an outboard guard and an outboard retainer cap. The outboard guard includes an outboard guard opening having a hole through the planform of the outboard guard, an engagement portion having an annular surface radially surrounding the outboard guard opening, an outboard bearing protector portion having an annular surface radially surrounding the engagement portion of the outboard guard, and an outer rim having an annular surface radially surrounding the outboard bearing protector portion. The outboard retainer cap is configured to be removably affixed to the outboard guard and includes an outboard alignment protrusion having a circular surface, an engagement portion having an annular surface radially surrounding the outboard alignment protrusion, and a retaining flange having an annular surface radially surrounding the engagement portion of the outboard retainer cap.

Abstract: A nanofiber nonwoven product is disclosed which comprises a polyamide with a relative viscosity from 2 to 330, spun into nanofibers with an average diameter of less than 1000 nanometers (1 micron). In general, the inventive products are prepared by: (a) providing a polyamide composition, wherein the polyamide has a relative viscosity from 2 to 330; (b) melt spinning the polyamide composition into a plurality of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter of less than 1 micron, followed by (c) forming the nanofibers into the product.

Abstract: Embodiments include a heating blanket. The heating blanket may include a heating element and a shell covering the heating element. The heating element has elastic properties and is disposed in the shape of a sheet. The shell may have one or more sheets of polymeric material bonded together adjacent a perimeter of the heating element. One or more wires having malleable properties are secured within the shell. The wires allow the heating blanket to be secured to a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed are latexes, suspensions, and colloids having a cationic antimicrobial compound complexed with an anionic surfactant. The surfactant may have greater affinity for the antimicrobial compound than other anionic surfactants and other anions in the latex, suspension, or colloid that contribute to disperse phase stability to prevent disrupting the dispersions. Dispersions containing the antimicrobial compound may therefore have a shelf life comparable to dispersions that are otherwise identical but lack the cationic antimicrobial compound and its complexed anionic surfactant. Coatings made with the complexes can exhibit essentially undiminished antimicrobial activity.

Abstract: An improved compact electroacoustic transducer and loudspeaker system. The electroacoustic transducer (or array of electroacoustic transducers) can generate a desired sound by the use of pressurized airflow. The electroacoustic transducer does not have frames (unlike prior electroacoustic transducers) and an electrically conductive membrane is now supported by a pair of non-conductive vent members.

Abstract: Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite components for vehicle body structures, methods for making/using such components, and motor vehicles equipped with such components. A vehicle body structure includes one or more elongated support rails (e.g., a pair of lateral roof rails) each with an inner contoured rail panel joined to an outer contoured rail panel to define an internal rail cavity. One or more elongated support pillars (e.g., front, side, and/or back vehicle pillars) adjoin the support rail(s) and each includes an inner contoured pillar panel joined to an outer contoured pillar panel to define an internal pillar cavity coupled to the internal rail cavity. One or both contoured pillar panels and one or both contoured rail panels is/are formed, in whole or in part, from an FRP material. A structural reinforcement insert may be located inside the adjoined pillar and rail, filling a discrete region within the internal cavities.

Abstract: A stator for a helical gear device includes a first section having first helically convoluted chamber with a set of radially inwardly extending lobes and a second section adjacent to the first section. The second section includes a stack of cutter disks. Each cutter disk includes a front surface, a rear surface, an interior surface defining a central opening extending from the front surface to the rear surface, a forward cutting edge, and a rearward cutting edge. The interior surface forms a same number of lobes for the central opening as the set of radially inwardly extending lobes in the first section. Each cutter disk is aligned along a common centerline, and each cutter disk is rotated slightly relative to each other to form a second helically convoluted chamber with a same pitch as the first helically convoluted chamber. The second helically convoluted chamber exposes, to materials passing through, portions of the forward cutting edge or the rearward cutting edge of each cutter disk.

Abstract: Described herein are hard armor plate comprising a first molded plate of a plurality of ballistic fibers, a second molded plate of a plurality of ballistic fibers, and a layer of ceramic tiles adhered to the first molded plate and the second molded plate, wherein the layer of ceramic tiles is between the first molded plate and the second molded plate; and methods of making hard armor plates.

Abstract: In order to facilitate automatic message prioritization, systems and methods are described including a processor that receives electronic messages, where each electronic message is associated with a sender and a recipient.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a computer-implemented method that includes identifying metadata related to television programming being presented on a display device. The method further includes extracting one or more keywords from the metadata. The method further includes generating multiple search suggestions based on the keywords and first search results based on one or more of the search suggestions. The method further includes presenting the search suggestions and the first search results together on the display device.

Abstract: A backup system having a plurality of accounts for copying selected data between one or more account user computers and a system computer where an account user's computer connects to the system computer via the Internet. Selected data is copied between the account user's computer and the system computer including, documents, media files, and email in any file type or format. Additionally, the system is compatible with all types of computers, including personal data assistants and mobile telephones, and all types of operating systems. All of the software to operate the system is resident on the system computer with no hardware or software required on the account user computer beyond a conventional web browser. The system also includes a scheduler, a contacts manager, a reminder generator and file transfer system for third-party users.

Abstract: A system and method for a text search of a database, including converting a text search expression to a query plan and implementing the text search as the query plan on the database. The implementing of the text search includes a one-pass indexing as a single scan of an inverse index table associated with the database.