Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a trim arrangement for a ball valve. The trim arrangement can include a first seat assembly having a first seat, a threaded collar, and a biasing element. The first seat can be in contact with a first side of a ball element, and the threaded collar can be threadably coupled to the first seat and can be in engagement with the biasing element. The trim arrangement further includes a second seat assembly having a second seat in contact with a second side of the ball element. The threaded collar can have a profile that is configured to non-rotatably and slidably engage a corresponding profile of a collar bore of the valve body to prevent rotation of the threaded collar relative to the valve body.

Abstract: A system for operating an autonomous vehicle includes a passenger-detector and a controller-circuit. The passenger-detector is operable to determine a passenger-count of passengers present in a host-vehicle. The controller-circuit is in communication with the passenger-detector and vehicle-controls of the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit is configured to operate the host-vehicle in an autonomous-mode and in accordance with a parameter. The parameter is set to an empty-value when passenger-count is equal to zero, and the parameter is set to an occupied-value different from the empty-value when the passenger count is greater than zero.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to apparatus and methods that collect sensed data and that may organize that data such that it can be accessed by user devices or that can be organized and analyzed according to rules, conventions, or policies. Data collected by sensors or devices may be transmitted to a computer or server that stores that data. That stored data may then be analyzed to identify trends, events, or a chain of related events. In certain instances, an analysis of sets of raw data may result in the generation of a report or may result in alerts being sent to particular user devices. These sets of collected data, generated reports, and alert information may be stored and synchronized at one or more computing devices as data sets associated with a group of user devices or with a group of sensing devices.

Abstract: A method for processing backup generation requests includes receiving a backup generation request; in response to receiving the backup generation request: identifying a backup to transfer to a backup storage, the backup includes data blocks; performing a data allocation analysis on the backup to generate an offset table; dividing, based on at least the offset table, the backup into sub-portions, each of the sub-portions includes at least one of the data blocks; and transferring, using at least two data streams, at least two of the sub-portions to a backup storage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for maintaining session identifiers across multiple webpages for content selection are described herein. A server can generate a session identifier corresponding to the client device for use in selecting content to be served across the information resources of a content publisher. The server can then receive, from the client device, a request for instructions to insert into a header of an information resource for selecting a content provider. The server can determine that the request includes the session identifier that matches the one generated for a previous request. The server can obtain a parameter value for each content provider with the session identifier. The server can select a content provider using the parameter values. The server can provide a script to the client device for the header. The script can be configured to cause the client device to obtain a content item from the selected content provider to insert into the information resource.

Abstract: An apparatus and device for building an article by additive manufacturing or 3-D printing. The method includes feeding a supply of particulate slurry to and through a nozzle, such as including an integrated pump, to form a plurality of beads and layers of the slurry on a deposition surface, and ultimately forming a desirable article from the layers of deposited material. The liquid phase of the slurry is desirably removed by heat, and the deposited layers can be sintered or otherwise fused as needed.

Abstract: Cost of a precision farming guidance system is driven in part by the number of discrete system elements installed in a tractor including the steering actuator, guidance computer, user terminals, and the associated cable harnesses. An integrated guidance system arranges and integrates these separate elements into a base chassis and removable computer module to reduce cost and complexity while retaining flexibility to adapt to different vehicle configurations and to incorporate improved guidance computer technology into a common design platform.

Abstract: A method of performing an annular cementing operation after setting an integrated hanger and seal includes introducing a tubular including a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet into a wellbore, positioning and setting the integrated hanger and seal in the tubular, flowing cement between the tubular and the integrated hanger and seal into the inlet of the flow passage, passing the cement through the flow passage to the outlet, flowing the cement from the outlet, and closing the outlet.

Abstract: A product status detection system includes a mobile automation apparatus having a sensor to capture data representing a shelf supporting products, responsive to data capture instructions. The system includes a server in communication with the mobile apparatus, having: a mobile apparatus controller to generate data capture instructions for the mobile apparatus; a repository to store captured data from the mobile apparatus; a primary object generator to generate primary data objects from the captured data, each including a location in a common frame of reference; a secondary object generator to generate and store secondary data objects based on the primary data objects; a detector to identify mismatches between reference data and the secondary data objects; and an alert generator to select a subset of the mismatches, and generate and transmit a status alert corresponding to the subset. The system also includes a client device to receive and display the status alert.

Abstract: A separation container for extracting a portion of a sample for use or testing and method for preparing samples for downstream use or testing are provided. The separation container may include a body defining an internal chamber. The body may define an opening, and the body may be configured to receive the sample within the internal chamber. The separation container may further include a seal disposed across the opening, such that the seal may be configured to seal the opening of the body, and a plunger movably disposed at least partially inside the internal chamber. The plunger may be configured to be actuated to open the seal and express the portion of the sample.

Abstract: A host device discovers one or more first protocol endpoints presented by a storage system for a first logical storage device utilizing a first access protocol, and discovers one or more second protocol endpoints presented by the storage system for a second logical storage device utilizing a second access protocol. Responsive to determining that the first and second logical storage devices have a same device identity, the host device temporarily masks the one or more second protocol endpoints in a multi-path layer of the host device from one or more applications executing on the host device. In conjunction with a switchover from the first logical storage device to the second logical storage device, the host device ends the temporary masking in the multi-path layer and enables access of the one or more applications to the second logical storage device via the one or more second protocol endpoints.

Abstract: A well tool includes a first component, a second component, an orientation assembly, and a coupling device. The first component has a first device and the second component has a passage for receiving the first component and a second device. The orientation assembly causes a predetermined relative orientation between the first and the second component. The coupling device operatively couples the first device with the second device upon the orientation assembly orienting the first component with the second component in the predetermined relative orientation. The coupling device also communicates at least one of power and information between the first and the second device.

Abstract: A modified Ziegler-Natta procatalyst that is a product mixture of modifying an initial Ziegler-Natta procatalyst with a molecular (pro)catalyst, and optionally an activator, the modifying occurring before activating the modified Ziegler-Natta procatalyst with an activator and before contacting the modified Ziegler-Natta procatalyst with a polymerizable olefin. Also, a modified catalyst system prepared therefrom, methods of preparing the modified Ziegler-Natta procatalyst and the modified catalyst system, a method of polymerizing an olefin using the modified catalyst system, and a polyolefin product made thereby.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate. The alternating stack includes a first region in which all layers of the alternating stack are present and a second region in which at least a topmost one of the electrically conductive layers is absent. First memory opening fill structures extend through the first region of the alternating stack, and second memory opening fill structures extend through the second region of the alternating stack. The first memory opening fill structures have a greater height than the second memory opening fill structures. Pocket doping regions extending over a respective subset of topmost electrically conductive layers for the memory opening fill structures can be formed to provide higher threshold voltages and to enable selective activation of vertical semiconductor channels connected a same bit line.

Abstract: A method including: establishing a first set of radio resources available for use by a terminal device for transmitting uplink data to a first network access node; establishing a shared set of radio resources available for use by the terminal device for transmitting uplink data to the first network access node and a second network access node; determining uplink data has become available for transmission; selecting radio resources to use for transmitting the uplink data from within the shared set of radio resources if it is determined the terminal device is in a boundary region between a first communication cell and a second communication cell; and selecting radio resources to use for transmitting the uplink data from within the first set of radio resources if it is determined the terminal device is within the first communication cell and not in the boundary region.

Abstract: An electric power generation system includes a fuel cell module. The fuel cell module includes a fuel cell and a compression plate. The compression plate includes a surface contacting the fuel cell. A support plate is opposite the compression plate. The compression plate is movable in relation to the support plate. A pressurized fluid container is disposed between the compression plate and the support plate. The pressurized fluid container includes a casing defining an internal space configured to contain pressurized fluid. The electric power generation system further includes a pressurized fluid source and a fluid line coupled to the pressurized fluid source and the pressurized fluid container.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a web-based videoconference system that allows for video avatars to navigate within the virtual environment. The system has a presented mode that allows for a presentation stream to be texture mapped to a presenter screen situated within the virtual environment. The relative left-right sound is adjusted to provide sense of an avatar's position in a virtual space. The sound is further adjusted based on the area where the avatar is located and where the virtual camera is located. Video stream quality is adjusted based on relative position in a virtual space. Three-dimensional modeling is available inside the virtual video conferencing environment.

Abstract: Techniques are described for increasing the functionality of a data processing system via a computer-executed tool that converts programs, written in a procedural language, into components that may be executed as a dataflow graph. The dataflow graph generated from a program written in a procedural programming language may support various forms of parallelism, such as pipeline parallelism and/or component parallelism. In some embodiments, parallelism may be achieved by parsing the program based on a grammar and identifying control flow relationships between data operations performed by the program. In particular, types of dataflow graph components may be identified, according to the grammar, as corresponding to particular data operations (or groups of data operations) of the program. A dataflow graph may be generated to comprise the identified components, which may be connected together with flows in an order according to the identified control flow relationships between data operations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to measure mobile broadband market share. A disclosed example method involves invoking an adapter query on a computing device in response to detecting a request for Internet services, identifying a plurality of available adapters on the computing device based on the adapter query, and determining whether the computing device includes a mobile broadband service provider based on which one of the plurality of available adapters is servicing the request for Internet services.

Abstract: A component can be formed having an integral monolithic body. The integral monolithic body can be formed utilizing electroforming processes such as electrodeposition of metal alloys. The electroformed monolithic body can be formed utilizing multiple anodes powered by multiple power sources. The monolithic body can have differing local material properties determined during formation of the component.